Brazen leader’s shameless move

RUTH Davidson’s U-turn on free prescriptions is the most blatant piece of shallow electioneering so far in this campaign.

With just weeks to go until the General Election, suddenly the Scottish Tories support a popular policy.

When the Tories changed their minds to support minimum alcohol pricing five years ago, it was a reasonable thing to do.

There wasn’t an election on – it was a considered change of heart.

But on prescriptions, the Tories are trying to buy votes and detoxify their party all at the same time.

It’s a shameless shift from a party doing everything possible to weasel their way back into Scotland’s good books.

Davidson and her Tory colleagues have condemned free prescriptions for years.

They described the policy as part of a “dangerous trend”. It was an SNP bribe to “win” independence. And they repeatedly blamed it for starving the NHS of cash.

In time-honoured tradition, Davidson has decided, “If you can’t beat them, join them”. Timing is everything, of course. But what a shame it’s got nothing to do with whoever holds power at Westminster.

And on that, the Tories have been playing a very transparent game.

If they want to beat the SNP, they have to focus on areas – beyond the referendum – where Nicola Sturgeon has control.

So this General Election in Scotland has been totally misrepresented by the Tories as a way of preventing SNP mismanagement of health and education.

Neither of these areas will change one tiny bit with a Tory vote on June 8. But here’s a few things to bear in mind. Tories in power at Westminster will have control over the majority of welfare – and they will keep punishing the poorest. They will push on with the obscene rape clause.

And they will follow Theresa May right off the edge of the cliff towards Brexit.

Davidson should hang her head in shame at the way she’s trying to manipulate this election.