THE Scottish Greens have hit back at claims their party leader is a “ticking time-bomb” for the Scottish economy.

Tory MSP Pam Gosal, who represents the West of Scotland, took a swipe at Patrick Harvie during the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham on Monday.  

The Green minister was described as being “no laughing matter” in a blistering attack on the SNP’s partners in government.

She said: “Then there’s the wannabes; the Greens, who don’t even believe in economic growth.

“They are hardline economic extremists. While it’s tempting to look at Patrick Harvie and think he’s a joke, it’s no laughing matter that he’s in government.

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“He’s a ticking-time bomb for Scotland’s business community. And that’s why it is so important that we, Scottish Conservatives and Unionists, keep putting in the work to be the party for anyone who wants to get ahead and the next time the SNP-Greens try to stereotype what a typical Tory is, they can speak to me.”

The National: Pam Gosal photographed by Colin Mearns Pam Gosal photographed by Colin Mearns (Image: Colin Mearns)

But the Greens have hit back at the claims, saying the Tories have “exploded” the UK economy in the past week.

A spokesman said: “This is rich coming from a Tory given her own Chancellor has just exploded the UK economy and looks set to wreak further damage with a real-time cut in benefits.

“Pam Gosal’s Cabinet cronies have sabotaged the pound causing it to go into freefall, caused the housing market to implode and forced the Bank of England to shore up its economic defences with a £65 billion intervention.

"The Tories’ handling of the economy has been a joke, but families and businesses across Scotland certainly don't think it's a laughing matter.”