4 Oct 2017
UK growth outstripped Scotland’s economy by three times over the last quarter, new figures have revealed.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by just 0.1 per cent north of the border between April and June.
And after a blip in the previous three months, it means the rest of the UK has outperformed Scotland in four of the last five quarters.
Shadow economy secretary Dean Lockhart said the statistics should act as a wake-up call for the Scottish Government, and that businesses across the country were suffering as a result of the SNP’s anti-business agenda.
Yesterday, the Scottish Conservatives announced a new expert panel to look at ways to boost Scotland’s growth.
Led by former Scotland Office minister Lord Dunlop, the group will report back and inform party policy ahead of the next Holyrood election.
Scottish Conservative shadow economy secretary Dean Lockhart said:
“These figures show Scotland’s growth has been repeatedly slower than that of the UK in general.
“Alarm bells should be ringing for the Scottish Government, particularly as new powers mean our public services are becoming more dependent on the performance of the economy.
“Three months ago when a blip saw Scotland edge in front of the rest of the UK, the SNP furiously patted itself on the back.
“Now the wider trend is apparent, the nationalists should explain to the businesses and hard workers of Scotland why they are so badly letting them down.”
Follow this news feed: Scottish Conservatives