SNP's Ian Blackford was shamed over his party's ongoing demands for a new independence referendum as Prime Minister Boris Johnson pointed out the "abundant failure" marring the Scottish party's record.
PMQs: Boris Johnson slams SNP over ‘abundant failures’
Ian Blackford was shut down after demanding yet again Westminster give Scotland the right to decide its own future as Boris Johnson blasted the SNP over their abysmal governing record. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly demanded the Prime Minister give the Scottish Parliament permission to hold a new independence referendum in 2021. But in a heated exchange during PMQs, Mr Johnson brutally rejected Mr Blackford's request.
The Prime Minister said: "I think the real question is why the SNP keep going on about breaking up the most successful union in history – to distract from their abundant failure in government.
"You know what’s happening. In spite of getting an extra £9billion a year from the UK Exchequer – which, of course, they’d lose if they were so foolish as to break away – they are mismanaging their healthcare.
"And it’s not the fault of Scottish pupils what you see Scottish schools falling behind on educational standards."
Mr Johnson added: "Concentrate on what you are doing and stop going on about breaking up the union."
Mr Blackford insisted his request for a new independence referendum is "about democracy" as he claimed Scottish people rejected the Government's plans to go ahead with Brexit at the last general election.
The SNP MP said: "In 2016, the people of Scotland voted to remain in the European Union yet they are being dragged out of Europe against their will by this Prime Minister.
"In 2019, the people of Scotland elected a majority of SNP MPs to Westminster. The Scottish National Party won the election on the promise of Scotland’s right to choose its own future, rejecting the Prime Minister who lost more than half his seats in Scotland.
"The Scottish Parliament will decline legislative consent to the withdrawal bill. Why is this conservative government dismissing the will of the people of Scotland, ignoring their voices and disregarding our Parliament?"
Nicola Sturgeon faced criticism in December after the last Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report showed Scottish pupils lag behind peers across the world for both maths and science.
The First Minister has repeatedly committed to putting her “neck on the line on the education of our young people.”
Ms Sturgeon and her party have also been under fire over the performance of NHS Scotland under the SNP Government.
During the election campaign, the Scottish leader addressed the concerns over education and health but was accused of putting independence ahead of real issues in the devolved nation.
But the SNP leader rejected the accusation, saying: “These are issues each and every one of them that I focus on every single day as First Minister.
“When you are First Minister these are all priorities.”
Boris Johnson rejected calls for a new independence referendum in Scotland on several occasions.
The Prime Minister also committed to strengthening the union in his first-ever speech as Prime Minister when he was elected to succeed Theresa May as leader of the Conservative Party in July.
Note: Although not mentioned in the above article, Boris also reminded Parliament that Scotland had their once-in-a-generation independence referendum in 2014, and the people had voted to remain part of the British union.https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1225533/SNP-Ian-Blackford-Boris-Johnson-PMQs-Scotland-independence-Nicola-Sturgeon
