Scottish Conservatives in fear of being misrepresented by Cameron’s campaign
DAVID Cameron’s election campaign has been “poisonous” for the Scottish Conservatives, a former party press chief has warned.
Andy Maciver, who worked for former Scots Tory leaders David McLetchie and Annabel Goldie, said the Prime Minister’s repeated warnings about the prospect of a Labour government propped up by the SNP “might very well” win him the keys to 10 Downing Street.
But he warned the message undermined his party’s efforts counter long-running claims it is anti-Scottish.
Mr McIver said senior Scottish Tories were “livid” at Mr Cameron’s approach.
“There is mouth-foaming anger amongst those to whom I have spoken,” he wrote in a blog for Conservative Home, an influential online forum for activists.
Mr Cameron’s campaign has relied on increasingly stark warnings about the prospect of the SNP wielding influence after May 7.
On Sunday, Home Secretary Theresa May questioned the legitimacy of a Labour-SNP alliance and claimed it would amount to the biggest constitutional crisis since the abdication of 1936.
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron has set out a “Carlisle Principle” to ensure decisions at Holyrood did not impact adversely on the rest of the UK.
Mr Maciver who advocates a federal UK, said the Scots Tories were “increasingly being hindered by their association with London”.
He said the Conservatives argued the UK was a “family” of nations to win last year’s referendum but were now raising fears of Scottish influence.
He wrote: “The last week might very well help David Cameron back into Downing Street by pulling England towards the Tories and pushing even more of Scotland into the welcoming arms of the SNP, both at the expense of Labour.
“However, it has been poisonous for the Union, and poisonous for the Scottish Conservative Party.”