In a direct challenge to Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes, Mr Poynton has called for urgent reform of the Scottish National Investment Bank's restrictive policies that prevent it from backing Scotland's defence companies.
The intervention follows yesterday's announcement by Prime Minister Keir Starmer of massive new defence investments, including £15 billion for the UK's sovereign warhead programme and plans to build up to 12 new attack submarines.
Commenting, Gregor Poynton MP said: "This is student union politics at its worst. While Putin wages war in Ukraine and the UK Government prepares for the threats we face, the SNP is more concerned with ideology than protecting Scottish jobs and supporting our allies.
"Mairi Gougeon’s comments lay bare the Scottish Government's warped priorities. They'll condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine but refuse to let Scotland's public investment bank support the very industries helping Ukraine defend itself.
"This isn't principled, it's a dereliction of duty that will cost Scotland thousands of high-skilled jobs and billions in investment."
Gregor Poynton's letter to the Deputy First Minister follows Prime Minister Keir Starmer announcing that UK defence spending will rise to £79.7 billion by 2027/28, with plans to build up to 12 new submarines, create six munitions’ factories, and support 30,000 defence jobs nationwide.
However, Scotland risks missing out on this defence dividend due to the SNP's blanket opposition to backing companies involved in defence manufacturing via the SNIB, a position industry leader have described as a "no-brainer" to reform.
Senior figures from Airbus, BAE Systems, and Babcock have all told Parliament that allowing defence investment in Scotland would strengthen the industry and boost the economy.
In his letter to the Deputy First Minister, Mr Poynton directly challenges the Scottish Government's stance, asking Forbes whether she agrees with maintaining "blanket opposition to supporting defence-related projects, even when they would deliver thousands of high-skilled jobs and critical capabilities for Scotland."
With global threats intensifying and the UK moving to "war-fighting readiness," Mr Poynton warns that Scotland's defence sector, which already supports thousands of highly skilled jobs, will be left behind while other parts of the UK surge ahead.
The MP has written to Kate Forbes demanding she clarify whether the Scottish Government agrees with Gougeon's hardline stance, describing it as "cherry-picking" that helps no one and harms Scotland's industrial future.