COVID-19 would have bankrupted Scotland if it was an independent nation, Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed.

The Commons leader told MPs that as a nation whose economy is "dependent on the oil price", Scotland would be "bankrupt" as a result of Covid-19 if it had voted to leave the Union in 2014.

SNP MP Tommy Sheppard has argued smaller countries have "proven more agile and effective" in tackling the economic repercussions of coronavirus.

READ MORE: Jacob Rees-Mogg claims Scotland is just a 'district or area'

During business questions, Sheppard made the case to Rees-Mogg that more people than ever support Scottish independence and the country would be financially better off on its own.

He said: "Now we hear from many Cabinet members that Scotland's salvation is due to the strong arms of the Union, implying that only big countries can deal with the pandemic.

"But that is not true, in fact many small countries have proven more agile and effective.

"But if the leader does believe this, can he explain why support for Scotland becoming an independent country is now running at 54%, an all-time historic high?"

Rees-Mogg replied: "Because of the strength of the United Kingdom, the Barnett consequentials have led to £4.6 billion being available to be spent in Scotland and this shows the success of economic management of the United Kingdom over 10 years of coalition and Conservative government.

"The ability to answer the challenges of 2008 to ensure that the public sector finances got back into proper shape so that we were in the position where we could afford to deal with a fundamentally different crisis, which required a fundamentally different response, which required the expenditure of tax payers money, is a tribute to the strength of the United Kingdom.

"And where would Scotland be had they gone for independence in 2014 with their revenue dependent on the oil price that has subsequently collapsed? They would be bankrupt. Bankrupt.

"He calls for bankruptcy, Her Majesty's Government has provided solvency and support for the people of the whole of the United Kingdom."

READ MORE: BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg accused of ‘repeating mistakes of 2014’

The Tory MP’s claims come just one day after Laura Kuenssberg caused controversy by “parroting Tory attack lines” on Scotland’s economy while on Politics Live.

The BBC’s political editor said an independent Scottish economy would have struggled to cope without Treasury funds during the pandemic – despite nearly every other European country coping with the crisis better than the UK.

The SNP’s depute leader Keith Brown said the BBC was “repeating its mistakes of 2014”.

Referencing recent polls putting support for independence at 54%, Brown said: “Rather than parrot lazy Tory lines, perhaps the BBC should explore and analyse why this is happening. The BBC will blow all trust with its viewers and listeners in Scotland if they carry on failing to provide any balance in its coverage from Westminster.”