NICOLA Sturgeon has said the Tories should “hang their heads in shame” over supply shortages caused by Brexit.

The First Minister told Holyrood during FMQs that it was “reckless” of the Tory party to plough ahead with the plans during the pandemic and that the shortages UK supermarkets are seeing is not being mirrored in countries in the European Union.

Sturgeon said that children have been told their “might not be toys at Christmas” because of the disruption and called on the Tories to take some responsibility.

She added that the only “solution” to this is for Scotland to become an independent country.

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Stuart McMillan, SNP MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, asked the First Minister what discussion the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government over “reports of retail stock and staff shortages in the run up to Christmas”.

The First Minister said: “Well Scottish ministers first wrote to the UK Government about this emerging problem back in July, the rural affairs secretary has written again this week seeking a meeting to discuss these challenges.

“I think the fact that we’ve had to ask for such a meeting tells its own story about how urgently or otherwise the UK Government is treating this issue. We’ve warned repeatedly of the damage that would be caused by Brexit.

“We knew that the loss of freedom of movement would be particularly damaging and sadly we’re now seeing staff shortages putting real pressure on food and drink supplies.

The National:

The First Minister called out the Tories "Brexit obsession' during FMQs

“Images of healthy food rotting in the fields are astonishing, frankly for this whole sorry situation the Tories should frankly be hanging their heads in shame.”

McMillan asked a supplementary question and said the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned of price increases and further disruption to supplies because of Brexit.

He added: “Does the First Minister agree with me that Brexit has been nothing short of a disaster and Scotland is increasingly vulenrable under Westminster control and that the only way to keep Scotland safe from the long term economic and social devastation of the Tory led Brexit is to secure our independence?”

The First Minister called on the Tories to take responsibility for the impacts of Brexit.

She said: “The Conservatives don’t like to hear this but we right now, not just in Scotland but across the UK, are in the quite incredible situation unlike other countries across the European Union, so this is not about Covid, are seeing shortages in our supermarkets, of having shortages of other supplies, of having children told their might not be toys at Christmas because of disruption to supply chains.

“And I really do think Conservatives should take some responsibility because it is entirely inflicted by their obsession with Brexit.

"There are two things that are important to remember here – firstly Scotland did not vote for Brexit, and secondly it was utterly reckless of the conservatives to plough ahead with Brexit in the middle of a global pandemic.

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“These issues do illustrate the fact that right now these are things that are being done to Scotland, not by Scotland, and the only solution to that is for us to take control of all of our affairs in Scotland and that does mean being an independent country.”

We previously told how Wetherspoons were the latest firm to be hit by Brexit supply issues and are facing a shortage of some beers due to a shortage of HGV drivers.

And on Wednesday, MSPs were told that food shortages could peak at Christmas and that there are major issues facing the supply chain.