Liz Truss accuses SNP Scottish Government of 'playing political games'

Liz Truss has accused the devolved governments in the UK of playing “political games”.

The Conservative leadership candidate claimed that people had been “let down”, as she took aim at the SNP’s governance at Holyrood.

Truss is set to travel to Scotland for the leadership hustings in Perth, hosted by STV News’ Colin Mackay.

Ahead of her visit, the foreign secretary insisted that she will “deliver for the whole country” if she is elected as prime minster.

“Having grown up in Paisley before going to a comprehensive school in Leeds, I consider myself a child of the Union. When I say I will deliver for our country, I mean all of it,” she said.

“My government would put the Union at the heart of everything it does and ensure that all corners of our country are rightly championed at the very top of government.

“For too long, people in parts of our United Kingdom have been let down by their devolved administrations playing political games instead of focusing on their priorities. If elected prime minister, I will deliver for our whole country.

“We are not four separate nations in an agreement of convenience, as some would have us believe. We are one great country which shares a history and institutions, but also family and friends, memories and values.

“I would ensure that our entire family continues to get the attention, support, and investment that it deserves.”

Speaking at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe earlier this week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that Truss asked her about how she could appear in Vogue magazine.

Sturgeon said that she met Truss at the COP26 summit in Glasgow last year.

And she said that Truss appeared as though she had “swallowed a wasp” when she told her that she had appeared twice in the magazine.

Truss previously described the SNP leader as an “attention seeker”, claiming that the best thing to do would be to ignore her.

The SNP’s Westminster depute leader Kirsten Oswald hit out at the latest remarks from the Conservative leadership candidate.

“Liz Truss has shown total disregard for Scotland and its electorate throughout this campaign,” said Oswald.

“Instead of rhyming off pointless, generic rhetoric about the UK being ‘one great country’, Liz Truss must listen to the people of Scotland who voted overwhelming in favour of another independence referendum last year.

“The longer she denies reality, the stronger our case becomes.

“Be in no doubt, though: whoever does become the next Prime Minister, Scotland’s voice will be heard.”