Replacement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer

Kirsten Oswald Excerpts

Monday 17th October 2022 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We now come to the SNP spokesperson, Kirsten Oswald.

[Kirsten Oswald (East Renfrewshire) (SNP)]

Today, Scotland’s First Minister set out an optimistic, ambitious and credible economic plan for Scotland’s future—a leader who spent over an hour setting out and answering questions on the positive case for our country’s independence. That is in stark contrast to a Prime Minister hiding in Downing Street, terrified to answer for the mess she has made—the mess that will cause so much harm to all our constituents. Mr Speaker, I am going to keep this short and to the point. Can the Leader of the House tell us: where on earth is the Prime Minister? If she does not even have the backbone to show up here today, is there really any point in her showing up here again? Surely, time’s up. She needs to go and let the people decide.

[Penny Mordaunt]

I am glad to hear the First Minister of Scotland made a statement. I am hoping that shortly the House will be able to hear from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to set out the Government’s position. I would be interested to know if the First Minister’s statement included the tax dividend to every Scottish household of being a member of the United Kingdom.