CAUGHT IN TORY LEADER SLAMMED ROSS FIRE
Hapless Scots Conservative is attacked from all sides during the latest TV debate
NICOLA Sturgeon told the Tories to “butt out” of Scotland’s decision making last night as Douglas Ross struggled to defend Boris Johnson’s dire record at Westminster.
The second TV debate of the 2021 Holyrood election campaign saw the Scottish Conservatives leader face attacks from all sides as he was forced to apologise again for previous remarks he made about travellers.
The First Minister quizzed the hapless Tory on why the UK Government announced on Monday it would seek a court review of two bills previously passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament – including one on the protection of the rights of children. Sturgeon told
Ross: “This is a devolved issue. It was passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament.
“It’s about the protection of the rights of children. Why can’t you just say to the UK Government – butt out? You should not be challenging this decision of the Scottish Parliament – backed by the Tories – in court.”
Ross was put on the back foot and said: “The UK Government has said in its response it agrees with the principles of the bill, but it is right to examine that in court.”
The Tory leader was also pressed by Sturgeon over Brexit and the impact the UK Government’s deal had on Scotland’s fishing industry.
Ross previously blasted his own party’s Brexit stance on fishing in 2018 when he claimed “it would be easier to get someone to drink a pint of cold sick than to try to sell this as a success”.
Asked by the SNP leader what had changed in the three years since, he said: “We haven’t done enough for the fishing industry and we need to do far more.”
Scottish Greens leader Patrick Harvie raised comments made by Ross in 2017 when he was asked what his priority would be if he was prime minister for a day – and the then new Tory MP replied “tougher enforcement against gypsy-travellers”.
Ross said: “I’ve apologised for comments I’ve made in the interview you’ve cited. They were wrong and it was the wrong answer to the question. There are
so many other priorities I could have answered with.”
The First Minister also faced pressure at the live debate in Glasgow when Anas Sarwar questioned her over problems at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow – which was commissioned when the SNP leader was still health secretary.
The Scottish Labour leader said the flagship building had been allowed to open, despite a report saying “the water supply was not safe and at high risk of infection”.
He said this resulted in 40 infections in child cancer patients, and two deaths.
Sturgeon insisted: “It is not the case that reports that I personally saw that said the hospital was unsafe were ignored. That is simply not the case.” She added: “We don’t know all of the answers”, saying a public inquiry has been set up to provide “full scrutiny”.
Sarwar said: “If that was me, I would want to hunt down the answers.”
Scottish independence dominated the opening proceedings, with the SNP leader insisting voters should be given the right to choose the country’s future.
She also said she was the only one of the five leaders present who had openly said they wanted to be First Minister after May’s election.
Sturgeon said: “I think it’s more unifying to say to people we come together, discuss and decide our future than it is to have a politician hundreds of miles away
– particularly one like Boris Johnson – telling us he will decide our future.
“My focus after the election, should the Scottish people do me the privilege of re-electing me as First Minister – and listening to the gentlemen around me tonight, I think I’m the only one saying I want to be in government and be First Minister – my priority will continue to be to lead the country through the pandemic, and bring forward the policies to kick-start and drive recovery.
“And when the time is right, do we want to shape our own future, rather than have it shaped by a Westminster Government that is undermining the Scottish Parliament, and I think, getting ready for more austerity cuts.”
Ross hit back by saying the focus should be on a recovery from Covid.
The Tory MP said: “In this election, we’re electing MSPs who have to be laser-focused on a recovery, on rebuilding the country, and protecting jobs, on restoring education standards, and supporting the NHS – but Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP want to take us back to the old divisions of the past.”
Sarwar said: “I don’t support independence. I don’t support a referendum.
“But I do recognise Covid did not choose between yes, no, leave or remain – and the aftermath is not going to choose between yes, no, leave or remain.
“I want us to focus on a recovery that works for everyone across the country.”