Nicola Sturgeon seeks to pin the industrial conflict on renationalized ScotRail on Boris Johnson

Nicola Sturgeon tried to blame Boris Johnson today for an industrial dispute on Scotland’s newly renationalised rail network that will see hundreds of services cancelled every day from next week.

ScotRail, which was taken back into public ownership last month, has announced it will cut 700 services – almost a third of the total – from Monday due to a driver shortage caused by a disagreement with the union Aslef.

The new timetable has been sparked by drivers refusing to work on rest days and Sundays, measures which had been used to keep the service running.

Addressing MSPs at Holyroods today Ms Sturgeon insisted that the new schedule was ‘temporary, before admitting that a shortage of more than 100 drivers might not be filled before next year.

But the SNP administration attempted to shift responsibility for the situation onto Mr Johnson and Westminster, despite Ms Sturgeon being in overall charge of the company.

The SNP’s Fiona Hyslop caused uproar at First Ministers Questions when she asked Ms Sturgeon if she shared ‘my concern that events elsewhere in the UK are souring industrial relations here in Scotland and affecting the new beginning of public ownership of Scotland’s railway’.

After the furore died down, Ms Sturgeon replied: ‘The situation in Scotland is the responsibility of ScotRail, which of course is now a publicly owned company, so therefore my responsibility and the responsibility of the Government.

‘But the Conservatives should be aware there is a separate RMT dispute right now with Network Rail and UK Dft (Department for Transport) operators.

‘That is a reserved matter but if it is not resolved it will have an impact on services here in Scotland. Perhaps some advice to their own party as well might not go amiss.’

Facing questions on the matter at Holyrood, the First Minister stressed the importance of ensuring services return to normal as quickly as possible and branded it ‘regrettable’.

But Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: ‘You call this regrettable, say that to the people in Dunbar who will have zero trains operated by ScotRail stopping at their station.

‘Say that to the business leaders who are telling you these cuts are going to put at risk thousands of jobs and small businesses.

‘Let’s remember, Nicola Sturgeon and her Government are in charge of Scotland’s railways.

‘Just seven weeks into nationalisation, it’s already proving a disaster.’