THE SNP’s deputy leader has slammed Douglas Ross for using “empty rhetoric” as the Tory leader unveils his economic plan today.

Keith Brown said the best thing Ross could do is lobby the PM to extend the furlough scheme to save hundreds of thousands of jobs in Scotland.

Brown said: “The First Minister will put Scotland’s health and economic recovery from Covid-19 at the heart of the Programme for Government this week. In the meantime, Douglas Ross’s empty rhetoric gets us nowhere.

“The most useful thing the Scottish Tory leader could do is lobby his Westminster bosses to extend the furlough scheme before the loss of up to 200,000 Scottish jobs, demand a vital package of support for the millions of forgotten freelancers who have yet to receive a penny in support from the UK Government and get behind SNP calls for support to those who are forced to rely on UK welfare benefits.

“Or he could focus his attention on getting the UK Treasury to put its hand in the coffers and protect the Scottish economy from the impending disastrous impact of a Brexit future that Scotland didn’t vote for.”

Early details of Ross’s plan shows a focus on transport and infrastructure investment.

Ross said he would outline his strategy to increase employment and recover economically from the coronavirus pandemic within the first month of his leadership.

Coming ahead of the Programme for Government – the Scottish Government’s legislative agenda for this parliamentary session – the Tory leader will push for an increase in spending on infrastructure.

He said: “The Programme for Government this week must focus on how we recover from this crisis, protect jobs and rebuild Scotland’s economy from the brink.

“It should be a programme to invest in infrastructure and connect communities across the country, leaving nowhere behind.”

The Tories will call for a fully integrated transport system, with an Oyster card-like payment method that would work across all public transport networks, as well as faster rail links between Glasgow and Edinburgh and Aberdeen and Inverness connections with the central belt.

Ross said improving travel links would result in Scotland being brought “closer together”.

He said: “Scotland has been too divided for too long, not only constitutionally but economically too. We need a massive acceleration of infrastructure projects to bring people across Scotland closer together.

“These proposals would better-connect businesses across the country and boost productivity, delivering more money for public services and bringing more high-quality jobs to towns and cities that often get overlooked in favour of Edinburgh.”

The plan would see the creation of a “Scottish Dynamo”, similar to the Northern Powerhouse, providing investment to Scottish infrastructure.

One of the key proposals would see a joint investment vehicle between the Scottish and UK Governments to expand the investment created by city and growth deals north of the Border – where both governments and local councils provide funding for major infrastructure projects.

The MP for Moray, concluded: “We need to take power back from the Government in Edinburgh and put power in the hands of people and communities across Scotland. We can do that by making it just as easy and attractive for a business to set up in Inverness as in Glasgow.

“We need a long-term strategic vision but it must begin now. We cannot wait any longer to plan a stronger Scottish economy. With both our governments pulling together, Scotland can build back better.”