RUTH’S HAVING A BAD U-TURN

Salmond mocks Davidson’s free prescriptions policy switch and tells her to drop support for the hated welfare rape clause

SHAMELESS Ruth Davidson was urged to drop her support for the hated welfare “rape clause” last night – after a screeching U-turn on free prescriptions.

The Scottish Tory leader scrapped opposition to the universal health benefit after admitting it is a “popular” SNP policy.

But it puts her at odds with UK Tory policy.

And it comes in a General Election to Westminster where MPs have no power over the fully devolved responsibility.

Tories have frequently called for an end to the universal benefit, even calling it a “dangerous trend”.

But yesterday, Davidson confirmed: “We know there is a large amount of support for this policy and we recognise that.”

Former first minister Alex Salmond said Davidson should focus on UK Government policies pushed by her Tory colleagues at Westminster.

The so-called rape clause is a loophole in the Tory Government’s controversial two-child cap on tax credits.

Women have to fill in a form to get more benefit if their third or subsequent children were conceived through rape.

Salmond, standing for re-election in Gordon, Aberdeenshire, said: “Ruth Davidson used to describe free prescriptions as a ‘publicly funded bribe’ but this Damascene conversion shows even the Tories can reluctantly recognise it is the SNP who pursue the right policies for Scotland.

“If the Tories want to ditch their nasty party image, they should be U-turning on their indefensible, cruel policies such as the bedroom tax, the rape clause, cuts to housing benefits and the graduate tax.”

Scottish Tories have been condemning free prescriptions for years. In the 2016 Holyrood election, Davidson said the policy cost the Scottish NHS £60million and vowed to introduce an £8.40 fee.

At the time, she accused the SNP Government of pushing universal benefits as a “bribe” to buy support for independence.

After the 2011 Holyrood election, she slammed opponents for taking part in a “Dutch auction” of freebies. In 2013, the party’s health spokesman Jackson Carlaw, said free prescriptions were part of a “dangerous trend”.

Completing the U-turn yesterday, the party’s current health spokesman Donald Cameron said: “There is no doubt at all that people in Scotland value the idea of free prescriptions.

“We have listened to them and changed our policy.”

But he also said Tories will set up a review to work out whether over-the-counter drugs like paracetamol should still be included. Scottish Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said some people will still miss out under the Tories.

He said: “Ruth Davidson has shown once again she will do and say anything to win votes – but even now she won’t fully commit to ensuring everyone has access to the medicine they need.

“All this humiliating shift shows is that, once again, the Tories simply can’t be trusted on the NHS.”

Greens health spokeswoman Alison Johnstone MSP said: “The Tories will have people scratching their heads on this one, wondering what the real reasons are for the U-turn, welcome as it is.

“Following widespread condemnation of their abhorrent rape clause, this feels like a ploy to detoxify the Tories in Scotland and con the voters.”

Salmond also told Davidson to “bring it on”, as the Tories said they were targeting his seat.

Salmond told Sky News: “I’m quite pleased for two reasons that Ruth Davidson has made this vainglorious boast about sweeping the country and winning Gordon.

“Firstly, folk of the north-east of Scotland don’t like that sort of thing. They like people talking after the match, not before the match.

“Secondly, of course, the Tories have said they are going to unseat me at the previous nine elections and have failed nine times.

“As they concentrate the resources in Scotland in Gordon, it will allow SNP candidates to win across the rest of the country.”

Even the Tories can recognise it is the SNP who pursue the right policies ALEX SALMOND