Sturgeon in Shetland visits-for-votes row
● First Minister accused of only caring because of coming by-election
Nicola Sturgeon has been criticised for “only caring about Shetland when there are votes to be won” after it was revealed she has made as many trips to the island in the past month as any SNP first minister had in the past seven years.
A list of first minister visits to the island was provided following a parliamentary question by Jamie Halcro Johnston, which showed just three trips between 2012 and 2019.
The Scottish Conservatives have now accused Ms Sturgeon of only showing concern for the constituency when there is a seat at stake and suggested the official first minister visits could even have been made by her predecessor Alex Salmond, as she only became SNP leader in 2014.
The SNP did not confirm whether Ms Sturgeon had visited Shetland before her recent three visits during the increasingly bitter Shetland by-election campaign, which has seen the island’s war memorial defaced with SNP graffiti amid claims of dirty tricks and smears.
Brydon Goodland, Scottish Conservative candidate for Shetland, said: “The First Minister has barely been out of Shetland during this by-election campaign. We have been graced with three visits, but these records show that Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP only care about Shetland when there are votes to be won.
“The people of Shetland need an MSP and a party that will stand up for this area all year round, not just when there is a parliamentary seat at stake.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Shetland, Beatrice Wishart, added: “The First Minister is oblivious to the islands when she’s in Edinburgh. Perhaps making the journey to Shetland herself will have made her realise just what a problem expensive and under-resourced transport links are.
“Shetland’s not just for elections.”
However, The Scotsman understands that Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has made no visits to Shetland during the campaign.
SNP MEP Christian Allard said her absence from the campaign trail made the Tories “look ridiculous”.
He said: “Not only are they highlighting how often the First Minister has visited Shetland in this campaign, they are also raising the question of why Ruth Davidson hasn’t bothered, as she continues to stay in hiding amid her party’s Brexit shambles.”
Voters go to the polls tomorrow to elect a new MSP for Shetland after the resignation of Scottish Liberal Democrat Tavish Scott, who represented the seat for 20 years.
The SNP is believed to be pushing the Liberal Democrats close and yesterday claimed the Liberal Democrats were “rattled” at the prospect of losing the seat.
Mr Halcro-johnston said voters would “see through” the visits of Ms Sturgeon “who is never normally seen in these parts”.