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John Swinney has accused the Prime Minister of “toadying along behind Nigel Farage” on immigration.
Sir Keir Starmer has taken a harder line on small boat crossings and the wider immigration issue since taking office last year, as the situation becomes more important to voters.
In a speech on Thursday morning, the First Minister said comments made by Westminster politicians on the issue in recent months has been “chilling”.
He said: “Politicians call for mass deportations. They demand we pull out of international human rights treaties.
“No-one seems to be ringing the alarm bell – well I am. I’m ringing the alarm bell for our values, for our common humanity, for our commitment to the oppressed and for those seeking sanctuary.
“Friends, let us join with others in saying unequivocally – our saltire is a flag of welcome and refugees are welcome here.
Asked after the speech if his accusation of “chilling” language includes Sir Keir, Mr Swinney said: “Yes, I do include the Prime Minister in that language.
“I’m appalled that the Prime Minister is basically toadying along behind (Reform UK leader) Nigel Farage.
“The talk there is in the United Kingdom about exiting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), I think is just dreadful.
“Human rights are absolutely the foundation of our society.”
Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir rejected assertions the UK would be leaving the ECHR.
“We do need to make sure that both the convention and other instruments are fit for the circumstances we face at the moment, and therefore of course we have been, as we have made clear, looking at the interpretation of some of those provisions,” he said in response to a question from Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey.
“It would be a profound mistake to pull out of these instruments, because the first thing that would follow is that every other country in the world that adheres to these instruments would pull out of all their agreements with this country.
“That would be catastrophic for actually dealing with the problem.”
Mr Swinney also said he understands the frustrations some have raised about public services, which have been tied to the wider immigration debate, adding he is “doing my level best” to improve services.
But the First Minister also pointed to the austerity of the former Conservative government and Brexit as events that have made those in Scotland “poorer”, as he spoke of his hope for a “fresh start” with Scottish independence.
In a speech primarily focused on independence, he added: “I want us to have the powers to be able to use the wealth of Scotland to benefit the people of Scotland and to take a different course form the austerity agenda of the United Kingdom.”