Sajid Javid warns Nicola Sturgeon over pact with Labour party 'riddled' with antisemitism

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has criticised Nicola Sturgeon for “getting into bed” with Labour despite antisemitism being "riddled" throughout the party.

Sajid Javid accused Jeremy Corbyn of having “serious issues with Britian’s Jewish community” and warned the SNP could be viewed as condoning the problem if Nationalist MPs helped the Labour leader into power.

“If Corbyn can’t get a majority he will absolutely have an alliance with Nicola Sturgeon,” Javid said on a visit to the Stirling constituency on Friday.

“Nicola Sturgeon will have to accept that yes, she will get her referendum as part of a Corbyn alliance, but she will be getting into bed with an individual who has serious issues with Britain’s Jewish community.”

He added: “Antisemitism is riddled throughout his (Corbyn’s) party.

“She would be supporting such an individual and she would have to explain how she can prop up someone like that who, just a couple of days ago, the Chief Rabbi was moved to say was not fit for office.”

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In a campaign visit to a manufacturing plant in Cowie, Stirlingshire, the Tory Cabinet minister also claimed voters in Scotland faced a “stark choice” between stability with the Conservatives or division with the SNP

“They can either choose Scottish Conservatives who will remove uncertainty - whether that’s the indy referendum, getting Brexit sorted, or focusing on businesses in Scotland - or it’s division with the SNP,” he said.

“The most divisive thing they have brought to this election is the demand for a second independence referendum.

When the last referendum took place in 2014 everyone agreed - including Nicola Sturgeon - this was a once-in-a-generation event. The Scottish people gave a clear verdict that they wanted to remain part of the UK.

Five years have passed since then - but it’s not a new generation.

“We are absolutely against it. We think it is divisive and we will want not support it.”

He continued: “Whether it’s the pound, or the Euro, the SNP does not have a plan for Scotland outside of the UK - because they know when they get into the detail, Scotland will always be better off as part of the family of the UK.

“They would have another divisive referendum on Brexit, but also a divisive referendum on independence. It would be chaotic.”

Mr Javid also claimed the SNP were to blame for the delays in the Scottish budget - which has been held up because of the UK General Election.

Holyrood’s Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has complained he is unable to put together his tax and spending plans for 2020-21 until after the new year.

But the Chancellor said the SNP’s role in delaying Brexit meant they were responsible for this situation.

He said: “Normally we would have had a UK Budget by now, that would have meant it would have been more straightforward to have a Scottish budget.

“But the responsibility for not having that budget, either in the UK or Scotland, lies firmly and squarely with the SNP and Labour.

“The SNP are responsible, along with Labour and the Lib Dems, for the paralysis that has taken hold of our Parliament.

“It is that paralysis that has meant the country has been unable to move forward and get Brexit sorted, and we have been unable as Parliament to make other major decisions.”

He added: “It’s a bit rich of Nicola Sturgeon to complain and say ‘our budget process in Scotland is being held up because of the UK’ because she is partly responsible for it.”

An SNP spokesman said: “There is no place for antisemitism in society or politics. Labour have been guilty of an abdication of leadership on the issue and must do much more to win the trust of the Jewish community.”

On the topic of currency, the spokesman added: “Scotland’s currency on day one of independence will be the pound. We support adopting an independent currency as soon as practicable – but only when it is in the interests of the Scottish economy to do so, and will be guided by the six tests outlined by the Growth Commission.

“The Brexit disaster outlines exactly why we need to take our own decisions in Scotland’s interest.”