Leaders clash over NHS in final FMQs before election

John Swinney has clashed with Douglas Ross and Anas Sarwar over the NHS in the final First Minister’s Questions before the general election next week.

The first minister said his government had increased funding for the health service since being in power, with roughly 50 per cent of its budget now going to health compared to a third in 2007.

But Ross pointed to “record high” levels of delayed discharge, the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe and long waiting lists as evidence that the Scottish Government has failed to prioritise the health service.

The Scottish Tory leader said the SNP had instead prioritised independence, highlighting the party’s manifesto.

He added: “The SNP are bad for Scotland’s health. Now we’re all sick of hearing about what’s on page one, line one, but fixing Scotland’s broken NHS is the public’s priority. So why isn’t it the SNP’s priority?”

And Sarwar said a “two-tier” system had been created with those able to afford to go private doing so due to long waiting times.

The Scottish Labour leader also said the SNP had failed to meet its 62-day treatment target for cancer for 12 years. He asked: “How much longer do these cancer patients and their families need to listen to this SNP government blame somebody else for the own government’s failure?”

Swinney hit back at Conservative austerity for underfunding the NHS for the last 14 years, and he accused Labour of planning to continue austerity if it enters government next week.

On the question of the constitution, he said: “Independence is a solution to the austerity, Brexit and the cost-of-living – and we’re going to see the back of Douglas Ross as well.”