Penny Mordaunt told MPs that “Scotland deserves better” than the failing Scottish Nationalists as she delivered her weekly brutal dismantling of the SNP’s record in government north of the Border.
The Leader of the House’s observations on the SNP have become a social media phenonemon in recent months as she humiliates one Scottish nationalist spokesman after another.
Her latest prey has been Australian born and raised SNP House business spokeswoman Deidre Brock, the SNP MP for Edinburgh North and Leith.
Each week Ms Brock has tried and failed to outwit Ms Mordaunt in exchanges on busienss questions.
And after a particularly humiliating encounter last week, Ms Brock was seeking revenge.
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She said: “It is always revealing to hear the Leader of the House to express her increasingly outlandish views on Scotland every Thursday morning.”
In anticipation of the verbal battery she was about to receive back, Ms Brock added: “I expect today will be no different.”
She went on: “Last week though had the feel of a kind of fever dream as she treated us to her thoughts on Mary Queen of Scots, the Highland clearances, and the 100 Years War.
“All in some sort of answer to my comments about Scotland’s remarkable progress on child poverty.
“God knows what we will get this week.”
After she insisted “things are better in Scotland” and Westminster treats Scotland badly, she concluded that the UK government should learn from what is happening north of the Border.
Ms Brock did not have to wait long for another brutal put down from Ms Mordaunt, who got up paused for a moment and then went for the jugular.
With a withering look at the SNP MP, the Leader of the House noted: “She accuses me of talking Scotland down and not celebrating it.
“Oh contraire! If she looks back at the speeches I have made on this subject.
“I am not talking Scotland down, I am talking about the SNP running Scotland down.
“And I am very happy to compare our record of stewardship of public services against the SNP’s.”
With SNP MPs looking on in fury, she went on: “Not a week goes by without the SNP messing up some particular sector or service.
“This week highlights include the SNP pressing ahead with short term lets licensing which will on October 1 see thousands of businesses potentially close in Scotland and put some people in jeopardy of losing their homes. Clobbering Scotland’s tourism sector too.
“It has also emerged this week that complaints about SNP administered benefits has increased by 350 per cent.
“And while the economy recovers and people are stilll having to tighten their belts they think it is a brillian idea to introduce a congestion charge.”
Ms Mordaunt wasn’t finished though and saved her harshest criticsm to last.
“Scotland deserves better than separatist, socialist parties and yet again [Ms Brock] has demonstrated that the SNP are yesterday’s people talking about yesterday’s grievances.
“They are yesterday’s party.”
