Rennie responds to IFS report into sluggish Scottish growth

Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today warned that the Scottish Government must get serious about growth as he warned that years of sluggish economic performances means less money is available for public services.

His comment comes as an embargoed report from the IFS report warned that:

• Since 2014 Scotland has seen slower growth than the rest of the UK and that in 2014 the employment rate in Scotland was one percentage point higher than rUK but by 2021 had fallen to around one percentage point lower.  
• Average monthly earnings grew by just 1.5% in Scotland between 2015 and 2022 despite an almost 5% real-terms expansion in rUK outside London.  
• The figures reflect a 'marked deterioration' in the Highlands, Islands and North East.

Mr Rennie said:

“It’s astonishing that despite the disastrous economic record of the Conservative party over the past nine years, somehow the nationalists have managed to be even worse.

“Low growth means less money for public services.

“The SNP must get serious about delivering highly skilled, high wage jobs and ending a decade of depressed economic performance.”