Ian Blackford hit out at the Prime Minister for his “absolutely shocking error of judgment” in visiting Scotland accusing him of putting “politics before public health”.
During a heated exchange at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), Blackford questioned the Prime Minister for visiting a vaccine production firm in Scotland despite a coronavirus outbreak at the site, as reported in the Daily Record.
READ MORE: PM condemned for 'utterly reckless' visit to Scottish site which had Covid outbreak in January
Quizzing the Prime Minister on his visit, the SNP Westminster leader said: “What an absolute shambles, that he’s gone to a plant where there was a Covid outbreak and the PM can’t just explain away this absolutely shocking error of judgment. Anyone can see that his campaign trip to Scotland was utterly, utterly reckless.
“The Daily Record story is very clear, the PM and his advisers knew there was a serious Covid outbreak at this plant, they knew the visit posed a risk but he made a deliberate choice, they made the irresponsible choice.
"The PM put politics before public health. PM, why be so reckless, is it any wonder that people in Scotland have no faith in this PM, isn’t he the worst possible leader at the worst possible time?
The Prime Minister replied: “I think what the people of Scotland want to see is the whole country pulling together and working to develop the vaccine as that fantastic plant in Scotland is doing.
READ MORE: Video showing Chris Whitty being berated in streets of London over Covid-19 condemned
“One of the advantages of the Valneva vaccine is that it may be able to combat all sorts of variants in a very comprehensive way. It’s amazing, wonderful to see Scottish scientists working to do that. I had a fantastic time.
“Nobody, by the way, raised that issue with me before or since and it is my job to visit every part of this country, nothing and no-one is going to stop me and I am very, very proud of the record of the Government in rolling out the vaccine.”
He added: "It is my job to visit every part of this country - nothing and no one is going to stop me"
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