Davidson under fire for backing ‘extreme’ Javid for Tory leader
Ruth Davidson has been criticised for backing Sajid Javid in the Tory leadership contest because of his “extreme views” on devolution, immigration and Brexit.
The S cottish Conser vative leader has thrown her weight behind the Home Secretary as the Tory leadership race heats up, saying he has a vision to unite a “divided Britain”.
But the SNP’S Linda Fabiani today said Mr Javid’s past comme n t s wh e r e h e d e s c r i b e d devolution as “nothing short of constitutional vandalism” p r ove d h i s u n s u i t a b i l i t y a s Prime Minister.
S h e s a i d h e h a d a l s o backed a No Deal Brexit, and did not take up a recent o f f e r t o v i s i t t h e d e t e n - t i o n c e n t r e , D u n g a v e l House, after new evidence exposed a number of children and pregnant women were being detained there.
Ms Fabiani said: “Ruth Davidson likes to pretend that the Tories in Scotland are a breed apart – but in backing another hard-line Brexiteer, she’s just like any other Tory. Sajid Javid’s hostility to power in the hands of the Scottish people also speaks volumes. He wants to reverse the progress of 20 years of devolution.”
B u t a s p o k e s m a n f o r t h e S cottish Conser vatives said: “T h e C o n s e r v a t i v e s h a v e strengthened devolution and handed new powers to Holyrood. Unfortunately, due to the total incompetence of Nicola Sturgeon’s government, those powers have either been mishandled or delayed.”