Fiona Bruce tells off John Swinney as he launches Brexit rant on Question Time (2024)

John Swinney launches Brexit rant on BBC Question Time

Fiona Bruce urged John Swinney to answer an audience member's question after he launched a Brexit rant during tonight's BBC Question Time special.

The Scottish First Minister and SNP leader was asked about what his party would do to boost manufacturing north of the border.

The question prompted Mr Swinney to complain that Brexit was not being talked about in the General Election campaign.

But Ms Bruce then intervened to tell the SNP politician to directly answer the question.

The audience member said: "I'm a Scottish person working in England for the manufacturing sector which is struggling for growth all the way through the UK.

"With the SNP it seems to me that every problem the road leads to Westminster, I don't believe that's the case. So can you tell me specifically what the SNP would do to support the growth in the manufacturing centre?"

Fiona Bruce and John Swinney (Image: BBC)

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Mr Swinney said: "The first thing I would do is I would argue for us to rejoin the EU because that I think is the source of the problems in the manufacturing chain."

But Ms Bruce jumped in: "Given you have to go through a lot of hoops to get there, first of all you have to secure independence then you have to get the EU to agree for you to become part of the EU."

Turning to the nodding audience member, Ms Bruce added: "I think you want something slightly shorter term?"

The SNP leader replied: "My point is there's a couple of big issues in this election campaign that really aren't seeing the light of day. One of them is the disastrous impact of Brexit on the UK economy."

But the BBC presenter said: "You are of course free to offer that opinion but that is not actually the question you are being asked.

"So could you answer that question which is specifically what the SNP would do to boost growth in manufacturing."

Mr Swinney said: "If I look at one of the things that we're taking forward in Scotland today, we've got what's called a Techscaler programme which is designed to take new companies that have emerged from our universities and partnerships with business and support them to fuel the growth of those individual companies.

"What that's about doing is taking new, fresh dynamic ideas. there are things that are happening today in Scotland, we've got a facility up in Shetland which is now going to start launching satellites by rocket into space.

"If you'd said to me a few years ago that Scotland would be a satellite-launching country I'd have said that's quite a big ask but it would be interesting if it happens, it's now happening.

"So innovation that comes from our universities can be fuelled with public investment and that's what the Scottish Government is doing to support that activity to strengthen the manufacturing base of Scotland."

The audience member said "not really" when Ms Bruce asked if she was satisfied with the response from Mr Swinney.

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