Ruth looks left for extra support

RUTH Davidson will today appeal to disgruntled Labour voters in a bid to give the SNP a bloody nose at the General Election.

The Scottish Conservative leader is set to launch her party’s manifesto with the Prime Minister in Edinburgh this morning.

Both Miss Davidson and Mrs May are expected to pledge their opposition to a second independence referendum as they lay out Tory policies for Scotland – in which they will say they are the ‘centre ground’.

But Miss Davidson will also make a direct appeal to Labour voters. She is expected to hit out at Jeremy Corbyn and Kezia Dugdale as the party battles through a ‘civil war’ while in a ‘weakened’ position.

She will draw on Miss Dugdale’s decision to suspend nine Labour councillors in Aberdeen this week after they refused to back down from a deal with the Tories which would have locked the SNP out of power. Miss Davidson is also set to state that only the Conservatives can beat the SNP in several key seats.

She is expected to say: ‘I want to speak directly to Labour Party voters across Scotland. You have been through leadership election after leadership election, and Jeremy Corbyn was not your choice.

‘You’ve watched as your Scottish leader, Kezia Dugdale, has left voters in Aberdeen betrayed and council colleagues suspended because she’d rather prop up the SNP than work with the Conservatives.

‘This week the Scottish Labour Party – already weakened – has entered a state of civil war. The truth is, your party has left you, not the other way around.

‘It may well find its way back but you know – and I know – it won’t be at this election.’

Following the 2015 election, the Tories had only one MP in Scotland, Scottish Secretary David Mundell. But after a surge in this month’s local elections, the party is hoping to return several more by ousting senior SNP figures. However, the Conserva- tives will need to win over pro-Union Labour and Liberal Democrat voters.

Miss Davidson will add: ‘In great swathes of the country, it is only the Scottish Conservatives who are strong enough to take on the SNP. In many places we can only win if you join with us. The Scottish Conservatives are rooted to the centre ground and – in the last year – have proven we can take on the SNP. We did it last May at the Holyrood elections and a fortnight ago in the local government elections, too.

‘We are committed to workers’ rights, boosting low pay, getting a good deal for our fishermen and improving the education of our young people.

‘With your help, we can lead the fightback against the SNP and stop Nicola Sturgeon trying to pull our country apart.’

Last night, Scottish Labour’s General Election campaign manager James Kelly said: ‘In many areas all across Scotland, only Labour can defeat the SNP.

‘That means Conservatives, Lib Dems and independents who have never backed us before must vote Labour on 8 June to send a message to Nicola Sturgeon that Scotland doesn’t want another divisive independence referendum.’

‘The truth is, your party has left you’