The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Tories claim they can grab up to 13 seats
Davidson says it’s now ‘game on’ in number of Scottish constituencies following council election results
The Scottish Conservatives could claim up to 13 seats at next month’s general election, according to new analysis carried out by the party.
Figures based on the council election results, released at the Tories’ general election launch in Edinburgh, put Ruth Davidson’s candidates in pole position in constituencies including Aberdeen South, Angus and Moray – as well as Scottish Labour’s sole seat in Edinburgh South.
Ms Davidson refused to predict the number of seats she would win but claimed it was now “game on” in a host of seats north of the border.
She said: “There are now no no-go areas for the Scottish Conservatives.
“We doubled our number of MSPs and now we have more than doubled our number of councillors – but that is not enough.
“Nicola Sturgeon has tried to make out Scotland was the SNP but it’s not and that has really got up people’s noses.
“Scotland is not the SNP and we’re going to show them that’s the case.”
Ms Davidson rubbished the SNP slogan “Standing up for Scotland” and
Nicola Sturgeon has tried to make out Scotland was the SNP but it’s not and that has really got up people’s noses. RUTH DAVIDSON
questioned what difference the SNP landslide in the 2015 Westminster election had actually made.
She said: “When Nicola Sturgeon speaks about being stronger for Scotland I’m not sure what Scotland has got out of having 54 SNP MPs. “What have they done for Scotland? “We’re going to have an incredibly difficult few years making sure we get a good Brexit deal.
“Let’s not make it look as if a minority party talks for the totality of the country.”
And, in a bid to put the blue into waters between the Scottish Conservatives and other parties, Ms Davidson added hers was the only party against raising taxes.
She said: “Every other party in this country wants to tax people to the eyeballs.
“I’m going to be standing up for Scottish business.
“We need to do this so every young person at school, college or university will have a job at the end of it.”
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said Scottish Conservative MPs would simply be voting fodder for a Theresa May UK Government.
She added: “We know from her own words that Theresa May wants to have a free hand to do whatever she wants and that means a reckless approach to Brexit that is about appeasing Ukip, putting Scottish jobs at risk, and imposing further cuts that will damage Scotland’s public services.
“So the choice at this election is a very clear one for Scotland: a Tory MP who will be a rubber stamp for Theresa May, an SNP MP who will stand up for Scotland and make Scotland’s voice heard.”