Sturgeon savages ‘reactionary’ Tories over ‘ugly rhetoric’ and party’s ‘naked xenophobia’
NICOLA Sturgeon has accused Theresa May of presiding over one of the most “distressing demonstrations of reactionary politics” in decades as the First Minister intensified her attacks on anti-immigration rhetoric from the Tories.
Speaking exclusively to the Sunday Herald, Sturgeon attacked Tory ministers for the chilling tone of their blueprint for a post-Brexit Britain.
Last night, Sturgeon set out what is expected to be a key theme of the SNP’s annual conference, which opens in Glasgow this week.
The SNP leader, who will deliver her keynote speech to the conference on Saturday, accused the Tories of a “crude lurch to the right” with the use of hardline language on immigration, and hostility towards EU citizens.
Sturgeon mounted what was one of her strongest attacks yet in response to speeches from UK ministers at last week’s Tory conference, when Home Secretary Amber Rudd said that companies could be forced to list how many foreign workers they employed in the aftermath of Brexit. During her conference speech, Rudd said the UK Government’s approach was meant to pressure companies to take on more local workers and to “prevent migrants taking jobs British people can do”.
May has recommitted the Government to reducing net annual migration to tens of thousands a year from its current 320,000.
Sturgeon said the “ugly rhetoric” and “naked xenophobia” was the worst of its kind in UK politics in the modern era and typified the Tory vision for the UK after Brexit. Sturgeon said the SNP conference, which opens on Thursday, would set out a “positive and inclusive vision” for preventing Scotland being dragged out of the EU against its will.
Sturgeon said: “The Tories’ crude lurch to the right has been one of the most depressing and distressing demonstrations of reactionary politics in modern times. Their vision of Brexit Britain is a narrow and regressive one, fuelled by ugly rhetoric and, at its worst, tinged by naked xenophobia.
“Scotland has rejected the Tories and their policies at election after election, never more so when those policies are as extreme as those now on display. In contrast, the SNP conference this week will outline a positive and inclusive vision of the country we want to be – and we will make sure Scotland’s voice is heard louder than ever before when it comes to protecting our place in Europe.”
Sturgeon will also use the conference to outline her policy priorities at Holyrood, where the SNP has been in power for almost a decade.
Almost two-thirds of Scots who voted in June’s referendum backed remaining part of the EU, putting the country at odds with the UK result.
The vote for Brexit prompted the First Minister to warn a second independence referendum was “highly likely” in the immediate aftermath of the In-Out referendum result.
SNP business convener Derek Mackay said the SNP’s conference would send out a “message of inclusion and hope in troubling times”.
The conference comes after the annual gatherings of the UK Labour and Tory parties.
Mackay said: “Following Theresa May’s Ukip-style rally and Labour, astonishingly, choosing to ignore Brexit, the SNP conference will counter the nasty, divisive rhetoric from the Tories.
“Scotland is an open, tolerant and welcoming nation, and our priority is making this a better country for everyone who lives here, regardless of where they come from.
“This party’s conference will be a message of inclusion and hope in troubling times, following a Tory conference marked by narrow-minded
We will not let the Tories ride roughshod over Scotland’s democratic will on Europe. Scotland’s voice will be heard louder than ever before
xenophobia and a Labour one mired in rank incompetence and feuding.”
Mackay, the Scottish Government’s Finance Secretary, said: “Our number one priority remains improving our schools and delivering more opportunities for Scotland’s young people – and we have an ambitious programme to tackle the attainment gap while also keeping our economy and public services moving forward.”
He continued: “On the EU, Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in Europe and the Tories have no mandate to pursue the hardest of hard Brexits – something which their manifesto pledged would not happen and a promise which they should now be held to.
“They should also, without any further delay, guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in Scotland and the rest of the UK, and end the disgraceful use of human beings as bargaining chips. We will not let the Tories ride roughshod over Scotland’s democratic will on Europe. Scotland’s voice will be heard louder than ever before – and only the SNP are capable of standing up to the most reactionary right-wing Tory government in modern times.”
The SNP conference will also see the announcement of the party’s new depute leader after Stewart Hosie quit the role following allegations about his private life.
Four candidates are in the running to replace him – SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson, fellow MP Tommy Sheppard, MEP Alyn Smith and Inverclyde councillor Chris McEleny.