I’m voting Tory says former Labour firebrand Galloway
GEORGE Galloway has launched his campaign for Holyrood by telling proUnion voters to ‘hold your nose’ and back the best-placed pro-UK party.
The former Labour and Respect MP intends to vote Conservative as part of his effort to get the SNP out.
But the Tories warned his call for tactical voting will play into Nationalist hands by splitting the Union vote.
Mr Galloway will stand in the South Scotland region for his party, All 4 Unity. At his campaign launch in Ayr yesterday, he said one of his party’s aims was to ‘get the SNP out’ because it has ‘ruined this country’.
He said: ‘Replace them with a government of national unity.
‘I say this to Labour voters and Conservative voters and Liberal Democrat voters – choose the best-placed pro-Britain candidate and vote for them in your constituency vote.’
Pointing out that people vote for a constituency MSP and for a party on the regional list ballot paper, he said: ‘Vote for the best-placed pro-Union candidate, even if you have to hold your nose. Hold your nerve as you hold your nose. If I can vote, as I must, for the Conservatives in my constituency, trust me, you can do it, too.
‘After a lifetime on the Left, I’m voting Tory. That’s a sacrifice for me but I’m making it to help to save this country from break-up and ruin. Give your second vote to us, All 4 Unity.’
He claimed his party could win a ‘substantial’ number of seats at Holyrood to challenge the SNP.
He asked: ‘Who is the man the SNP would least like to see walking through the door into Holyrood? It’s me… because they are used to dealing with second division opposition.
‘We are premier league opposition for the SNP and they fear us.’
But Conservative MSP Oliver Mundell said: ‘Polling shows that splitting the pro-UK vote will only help the SNP win a majority.
‘As we’ve seen in previous elections, smaller parties won’t win enough votes to get a seat but they may split the vote and help the SNP’s drive for another independence referendum.’
He said the Scottish Tories became the biggest opposition party in 201 because of success in the list vote.
He added: ‘If that party vote splits, it will only benefit Nicola Sturgeon.’
‘Help save country from break-up’