Universal Credit is a disgrace and should be scrapped according to one of Scotland’s most successful business leaders.

Willie Haughey, of City Facilities Management, who has a seat in the House of Lords, said he is ashamed to have any association with a political system that has imposed such a policy.

Mr Haughey was made a Lord six years ago and he said he has been "disgusted" by some of what he has witnessed.

He said: “I am ashamed to be part of an institution that passed such a bill.

"I didn’t vote for it. I hope Boris Johnson or a change of government will scrap it.

"Austerity has got worse go and ask the people. I see people just surviving just having an existence. We need to give people hope and jobs for young people.”

Speaking at a Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Glasgow Talks event, Mr Haughey spoke of growing his business with his wife Susan, politics in the House of Lords and taxes on businesses.

He was highly critical of the current political environment and said Brexit has paralysed government and parliament spending years arguing when other things need doing.

He said: “It is shambolic and I’m part of it. People are fed up with the circus. We need to get back to normality.

"It’s in a state of paralysis because of Brexit."

Mr Haughey said he tried to get a mass movement going among large businesses to give young people jobs.

He came up with a plan for firms to appoint a young person as an ‘energy champion’ who would be responsible for promoting saving energy practices and therefore money for businesses. They are also apprentices learning other aspects of the business

His firm employs one in each of its nine worldwide headquarters.

However, he is disappointed other firms didn’t follow his lead.

He said: “I wrote personally to 47,000 businesses encouraging them to take this up. I got five replies.”

His firm has grown from an initial operation, started with £70,000 savings from a period spent working in the middle east to a global concern with a turnover of more than £1bn this year.

The company which services the retail industry with Asda, M&S, Aldi and Sainsbury's among its clients, has operations in Asia Australia and North America.

He criticised the so-called car park tax which the Scottish Parliament has just passed giving councils the power to charge firms for car parking space.

He said the policy didn’t make sense stating when he opened his headquarters in Gorbals for 900 staff he was told by the council he needed to include 450 car park spaces.

Mr Haughey said the car park levy is a disgrace. We are turning into one of the highest taxed places in Europe.

He added: “Here’s what I’m telling the council. Let’s make the green issue work. I’m shutting my car park. And I’ll put another building on it.

“Don’t pretend it’s about something else. It’s about tax. Whoever came up with that idea needs their head looking at.”