Sturgeon insists Angus visit is not a sign of fear

First Minister not worried about losing SNP seat being eyed by Conservatives

Nicola Sturgeon has denied a lastminute election visit to Angus shows signs the SNP is worried about one of its heartlands.

The First Minister said she “wouldn’t go anywhere” if she was only to campaign in constituencies without incumbent Nationalist MPs as she cut a key in Forfar’s Bruce Locksmiths & Hardware.

Angus, held by Mike Weir, has been yellow on Scotland’s political map since the current seat was created but is once again being eyed by the Conservatives.

Senior Tory sources had written off their chances earlier during the campaign but now think there is an outside chance of ousting the SNP’s chief whip if they have a “great night” on Thursday.

Mr Weir, however, said he was “getting a great response on the doors” whilst out campaigning.

Asked if the visit was a sign of last minute jitters, Ms Sturgeon said: “People keep asking me why I’m in different constituencies and is it a sign of something.

“If I was only to visit constituencies that the SNP didn’t hold then I wouldn’t go anywhere because we hold all bar three of them.

“So I am in Angus today for the same reason I have been in constituencies the length and breadth of Scotland, to support fantastic SNP candidates and to make the very simple point that if we don’t want to increase Theresa May’s majority, if we don’t want to wake up on Friday morning finding Scotland has boosted Theresa May when she’s on the ropes, let’s elect strong SNP voices that will go to Westminster to stand up for Scotland.” Mr Weir insisted he was not complacent about being returned but added he was feeling “confident”.

He said: “All our canvassing and conversations say we’re okay but we need to get people out, we need to get them to the polling stations.”

Mr Weir added: “A lot of people are bringing up Brexit and what it actually means for a place like Angus because we have a lot of farming which might be hit by it. We have got things like the pharmaceutical industry, the port, all these things are important for Angus. The fruit farmers are worried about the labour on their farms.”

Kirstene Hair, the Conservative candidate for Angus, said: “I think the visit from the First Minister today suggests that Angus is one of many seats the SNP are worried about losing on Thursday.

“They have every reason to be concerned following a surge in support for the Scottish Conservatives at last month’s council elections.” She added: “The SNP need to focus on improving our struggling schools, our underfunded NHS and our ailing economy, which is still lagging behind the rest of the UK.”