The Shadow Chancellor has told Scots to “come home” to Labour, the “only anti austerity party”.

John McDonnell urged people in Scotland who want to fight to end austerity that Labour is their only option.

In his speech to the Labour Party conference in Brighton he criticised the SNP, saying it voted against anti austerity policies.

His speech was an attack on the Conservatives economic policies.

He said: “Austerity is not an economic necessity, it’s a political choice.”

He reserved a section to attack the SNP and to try and win back voters in Scotland.

He said: “I was devastated by the Labour losses in Scotland.

“Let’s be clear the SNP has now voted against the living wage, against capping rent levels and just last week voted against fair taxes in Scotland to spend on schools.”

The SNP said no one would take Mr McDonnell’s criticism and claims seriously.

Mr McDonnell who said he was, with new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn interested in delivering straight talking and honest politics.

He added: “So here’s my message to the people of Scotland.

“Labour is now the only anti austerity party.

“And I tell you that those in Scotland who want to campaign against austerity now is the time to come home. Come home to Labour.”

Stewart Hosie, SNP deputy leader, said the SNP was the only party that campaigned against austerity at the General Election.

He said: “Labour’s economic plans are all over the place. While the SNP went into May’s election opposing austerity and campaigning for a real terms increase in public spending, Labour ran scared of the Tories and backed their draconian cuts and welfare reforms.

“While the SNP remain firmly opposed to George Osborne’s pro-austerity fiscal charter, John McDonnell just last week mandated Labour MPs to troop through the lobbies with the Tories yet again to back the plans, just as they did when they voted for £30bn of cuts in the last parliament. Labour have now lost all credibility and no one will take these claims remotely seriously."

Mr McDonnell said he would ensure big corporations would pay their share of taxes and named Amazon, Vodafone, Starbucks and Google.

He said there would be cuts to tackle the deficit.

He added: “But not to police nurses or teachers but to the corporate welfare system.”

Ms McDonnell added: “We will fight the Conservative tax cuts for the wealthy paid for by cuts to family incomes.

“The Conservatives have cut tax credits for working families to fund tax cuts for the wealthiest 4% of the population.”