ROBERT Jenrick has been labelled “delusional” for comments he made about the economy on the Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg show.
The Tory immigration minister said that the Conservatives could be trusted with the economy and that they would make “sensible decisions”.
In the same interview, Victoria Derbyshire – who was standing in for Kuenssberg – asked Jenrick if he remembered the damage done by Liz Truss.
He said: “You can trust the Conservatives to make sensible, prudent decisions on the future of the economy and to bring down taxes when it’s capable to do so.”
When pressed on the damage done by Sunak’s predecessor, Jenrick said: “Well look at the difference we’ve seen in the last 12 months under Rishi Sunak.
“The fact that we have stabilised the economy, that it’s growing, that inflation is falling and critical issues like immigration, we’re making significant progress for the first time in a long time.”
In response to this, the SNP’s economy spokesperson Drew Hendry has labelled Jenrick “delusional”.
Robert Jenrick “You trust the Conservatives to make sensible, prudent decisions on the future of the economy," Victoria Derbyshire: “Can we? Have you forgotten Liz Truss a year ago" #bbclaurak#bbclaurak pic.twitter.com/vZkFwrLBfx
— Deirdre Heenan (@deirdreheenan) October 22, 2023
“The Tories have inflicted thirteen years of austerity, a broken Brexit policy and now a Westminster-made cost of living crisis.
“Households across Scotland are continuing to pay the price for Westminster incompetence,” Hendry said.
This week, the Institute for Fiscal Studies downgraded the UK’s growth forecasts, with Britain now expected to grow more slowly than the Euro area, US and the world from 2024 onwards.
Elsewhere, recent analysis by the International Monetary Fund showed the UK is on course to have the highest inflation and slowest growth in the G7 next year.
Hendry continued: “We are in a particularly dire situation whereby Labour are also welded to Brexit and are intent on copying abhorrent Tory welfare policies.
“It does not matter who enters No 10 after the next election, economic chaos will continue.
“These are countless examples of small, independent countries similar to Scotland that are fairer and wealthier than the UK. It only leaves us to ask, why not Scotland?
“It is delusional for the Tories to proclaim they are making ‘sensible and prudent’ decisions for the future of the economy.
“Independence is the only way to deliver economic prosperity for Scotland – and rid ourselves of Westminster’s economic incompetence for good.”
