SNP Erasmus replacement a 'fig leaf' to distract from failure - Rennie

Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie has today criticised the SNP’s failure to deliver its promised replacement for the Erasmus scheme.

The SNP promised in its 2021 manifesto to bring in a replacement for the Erasmus scheme, which the UK left following its exit from the EU, but it has yet to launch any programme. The Scottish Government has announced funding for a pilot scheme, but this is a fraction of the size of the Welsh Government’s scheme which has already benefited thousands of young people.

Questioning Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth in Holyrood, Willie Rennie said:

“Before the SNP get too carried away with this, this is a million pounds, compared with the Welsh programme which is sixty-five million pounds. Surely this is just a fig leaf to hide the embarrassment of the SNP and their failure to deliver on the replacement of Erasmus?”

Speaking after the question, he added:

“The SNP promised a replacement for the Erasmus scheme in their manifesto, but more than two years on they are still dragging their feet. In the meantime students and young people are missing out on opportunities across Europe.

“In contrast Liberal Democrats in Wales secured a sixty-five-million pound replacement for Erasmus that has already benefited thousands of young people. The SNP have shown that they are more interested in using Europe as a narrow argument for independence than they are in providing opportunities to Scotland’s young people.”