Scotstory leader: How can SNP play politics during pandemic?
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross yesterday accused the SNP of pursuing independence during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Addressing his first Scottish Conservative annual conference as party leader, he said that “while the nationalist focus is on separation, our focus is on Scotland”.
Mr Ross, who became the party’s Scottish leader in August, promised to bring forward legislation at
Holyrood after next year’s election to ensure councils receive a “fair” share of the cash the Scottish Government gets from Westminster.
He also said his party wanted to recruit 3,000 new teachers to improve education.
He vowed to scrap Scotland’s controversial not proven verdict in trials and bring in tougher sentences for those who assault emergency service workers.
Mr Ross said: “The same SNP Government that came into power on the day that I was first elected as a councillor remains in power today.
“Despite having total control over many of the public services that we use and the taxes that we pay every day, our services are suffering.
“Their excuse, whatever the issue, has always been that we need to wait for independence before we can build a better Scotland.
“And even during this pandemic they have reverted to form in their pursuit of it.
“Surely, if ever there was a time to draw a line in our politics and to rethink our priorities, it is now.”
SNP deputy leader Keith Brown said: “Ross and his deluded band continue to profess – against all available evidence – that Westminster has the best interests of Scotland at heart while the people of this country recognised a long time ago that Tory Prime Ministers like Boris Johnson just can’t be trusted. Douglas Ross knows the union has failed Scotland.”