FOR anyone concerned about the post-Brexit shortages hitting Britain’s petrol stations, or fast-food chains, or supermarkets, or fizzy drinks manufacturers, or furniture outlets, or farms, or pubs, or blood tests, fear not. “There are no shortages”, one Tory MSP has declared.
Conservative MSP Dean Lockhart made the claim in a piece of brazen denialism that would surely make even his most brash bosses down in London blush.
It came in response to a tweet from the First Minister, who had urged people to “buy responsibly” after a story about queues forming at petrol stations amid fears of supplies running low.
Nicola Sturgeon had written: “Worries about supply chain problems understandable. Many of these issues have been caused/exacerbated by Brexit & UK Gov has duty to find solutions fast.
"@scotgov will help all we can and I have activated our resilience unit. In meantime, I’d urge people to buy responsibly.”
Worries about supply chain problems understandable. Many of these issues have been caused/exacerbated by Brexit & UK gov has duty to find solutions fast. @scotgov will help all we can & I have activated our resilience unit. In meantime, I’d urge people to buy responsibly. https://t.co/9CCT4w6ydt
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) September 24, 2021
The call on the UK Government seemingly came in reference to reports that Boris Johnson is to renege on harsh post-Brexit immigration policy in a bid to curb fuel shortages across the UK.
However, Lockhart obviously didn’t get that memo, convinced as he is that there are “no shortages”.
He instead accused Sturgeon of being a “cynical opportunist”.
The Tory wrote: “Predictable. There is no need to shop any more or less sensibly than usual. There are no shortages.
“This First Minister is a cynical opportunist determined to detract from the disaster her government has made of every public service over the last 14 long years.”
Predictable. There is no need to shop any more or less sensibly than usual. There are no shortages. This First Minister is a cynical opportunist determined to detract from the disaster her government has made of every public service over the last 14 long years. https://t.co/Li1dbL9JVx
— Dean Lockhart MSP (@DeanLockhartMSP) September 24, 2021
That contribution was “liked” by his Conservative colleague Maurice Golden, who also apparently doesn’t read the news.
If he had, he’d have likely seen BP, Esso, and Tesco Express report that fuel shortages brought on by a lack of HGV drivers had caused them to entirely close some forecourts.
If they don’t like reading the news (there’s been a lot of bad in it for the Tories recently after all) perhaps Lockhart and Golden might listen to their colleague.
Fellow Tory MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston accused the First Minister of ignoring “global HGV driver shortages”.
Well Tories, which is it? Are there “no shortages”, or is Sturgeon ignoring global ones? They can’t have it both ways.
The Scottish Conservatives have been approached for comment.
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