Nationalist in anti-semitism row wins seat at Westminster
vote, with our second best showing since 1992.
“And most importantly of all, we will now be part of a majority Conservative government at Westminster.”
The interim Scottish Tory leader said he spoke to Mr Johnson yesterday afternoon “to discuss his plans and I congratulated him on the result across the whole of the UK, which was quite remarkable”.
Mr Carlaw added: “And I’m confident that next week he will present a unifying agenda as he begins work that will put strengthening of the Union at its heart, making sure our Union of four nations – Scotland, England, Wales and Northern
Ireland – works for all its people, and give us all the security and prosperity we want.
“Now in the last hour I have already heard Nicola Sturgeon claim that last night’s result is a mandate for a second referendum on independence. Of course, up until 10pm last night that was not the story told by the SNP – it was, they said, about stopping Brexit and blocking Boris.
“Nonetheless the SNP has reverted to form and decided to take the vote it won yesterday as a free pass for a referendum next year.
“I’m clear her plan would take us back to more division and chaos.
“So today I want to reassure the people, the 700,000 people who gave us their support yesterday, that we still stand firmly as before, and say to them directly: you voted Scottish Conservative and Unionist yesterday for us to stop that referendum. We will not let you down.
“The 2014 referendum was a once in a generation event. It should be respected as such. The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party will be the party to do so.”
Asked by The Herald whether he took responsibility for the Tory vote share falling in Scotland, while it rose across the UK, he said: “I don’t accept that.
“I don’t think Scotland was so terribly different from the rest of the UK yesterday.
“The story across the whole of the UK was the collapse of the Labour Party.”
AN SNP candidate dropped over alleged anti-semitic comments has won a Westminster seat despite the party’s withdrawal of support.
Neale Hanvey was the SNP candidate for the Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath constituency but was dropped in the run-up to Thursday’s poll after social media posts he made two years ago came to light.
Despite his suspension, Mr Hanvey’s name remained on the ballot paper next to the SNP logo as the deadline for candidates to be nominated had passed.
He took the seat from shadow Scottish secretary Lesley Laird, winning 16,568 votes to his Labour opponent’s 15,325.
Mr Hanvey, who on apologising for the comments said he did not consider himself anti-semitic but conceded the language he used was “unacceptable”, said he has written to Jewish groups in a bid to make amends.
Speaking to the BBC before the result was declared, Mr Hanvey said he had made contact “to try to offer some reassurance that my apology is very sincere and also to help myself and others ensure that the language they use when they are talking about some of the sensitive issues is more measured”.
On the SNP, he said: “I’ve got a lot of friends in the party, I feel at home in the party and I hope that this does not define me as an individual.”
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said before the election that party members should not support Mr Hanvey, who is the subject of a disciplinary process, and should instead be going to other neighbouring constituencies to campaign for candidates there.
Ms Laird claimed Mr Hanvey continued to use SNP branding in his campaign despite being dropped as a candidate. turned out in Glasgow to protest against Boris Johnson.
Organised by Stand Up To Racism Glasgow, the Not My Prime Minister demonstration on the Buchanan Street steps last night brought together people unhappy at the Prime Minister’s politics and the fact that Scotland would again be ruled by a government it didn’t vote for.
Tess Riley, a 23-year-old call centre agent, summed up the frustration of many Scottish voters. “The vote illustrates England’s views don’t line up with our own and we can’t keep doing what they’re doing just because we’re technically in the same country right now,” she said.
She added of the re-elected PM: “Not only is Boris Johnson racist, sexist, homophobic – all those bad things – he’s also highly incompetent as a leader.”
Andrew Dryden, reeling from the “shock” of the Uk-wide election result, said the protest brought together a diverse group.
“If you look at all the placards here today, there are a broad range of things about Johnson that we oppose – from climate change to anti-migrant, racism, homophobia and just his whole agenda and everything he and the Conservative Party stand for,” he said.
Marketing worker Lauren Pearson, 23, said: “I’m here because Scotland has been ignored time and time again in every election and it’s time we get a say in our future. Johnson is racist, homophobic, sexist.”
Kitty Lambton, a 23-year-old designer, said: “I’m hugely disappointed with the election result and think it’s time that Scotland became independent.”
A MAN has appeared in court charged with placing a hoax bomb near a polling station in a block of flats.
Emergency services raced to the scene at Glen Tower in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, after the alarm was raised around 1am on Thursday.
A cordon was thrown round the 17-storey tower block and residents on the lower floors were evacuated while expert officers assessed the danger.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal staff were also called to the scene to examine the item before carrying out a controlled explosion in the early hours of the morning.
The device was found to be “non-viable”.
A common room within the building was to be used as a polling station for the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency in the General Election but after the device was discovered voters were directed to nearby Knowetop Primary School instead.
Peter Conoboy, 48, has now appeared in private at Hamilton Sheriff Court charged with placing a hoax bomb at the block of flats. Mr Conoboy, of Motherwell, made no plea and was remanded in custody by Sheriff Moira Mackenzie.
He is next due to appear in court within the coming eight days.
UNION leaders said the election result was “devastating”, but the Prime Minister was warned to expect the “shortest honeymoon ever”.
TUC general-secretary Frances O’grady said: “After nine years of failed austerity, the pressure is now on the Government to boost living standards and inject real investment into our NHS and public services.
“There are no more excuses for Boris Johnson on Brexit. In the year to come, he must deliver a deal with the EU that protects jobs, rights at work and peace in Northern Ireland.
“Now more than ever, working people need to stand together in their unions and get ready to fight to protect our livelihoods and our communities.”
Manuel Cortes, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, said: “Last night was a devastating result for our party. There is no point in making excuses for such a comprehensive defeat.
“We start working extremely hard from today to build an electoral platform which will reconnect with all of those who did not support us.”
RACHEL JOHNSON has said she has yet to meet her brother Boris’s partner Carrie Symonds.
The journalist and broadcaster made the revelation on ITV’S Good Morning Britain after Ms Symonds was hailed by host Piers Morgan for being “a bit of a star” for the Conservatives throughout their General Election campaign.
Ms Johnson said: “I haven’t met Carrie. Not yet.”
When met with disbelief from the presenter, she added: “It’s not something I came to talk about.”
Their father Stanley, who appeared alongside Ms Johnson on the programme, said that he has met Ms Symonds, adding: “The Johnsons are united in this.”