Rivals scupper Tory hopes of election pact to kick Nicola out of Bute House
HOPES of a Better Together style coalition to save the Union were dashed yesterday after Labour and the Lib Dems attacked Tory plans.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross called for a new partnership to oust Nationalist MSPs and kick Nicola Sturgeon out of Bute House.
However, both Labour and the Lib Dems flatly refused any prospect of a deal.
Alex Salmond has claimed his new Alba Party will help deliver up to 90 pro-independence MSPs and a new ‘super-majority’ for breaking up the UK.
Mr Ross said other pro-Union parties must now ‘wise up to the real threat facing the United Kingdom in this election’.
He launched a ‘unionist manifesto’ while campaigning in Ms Sturgeon’s Glasgow Southside constituency yesterday.
The Tories want parties to sign up to vote against an independence referendum, regardless of May’s election result; to rule out a coalition or confi dence deal with the SNP at Holyrood; and to agree to form a pro-UK, anti-referendum coalition in government, if they have enough seats.
He insisted ‘nothing would be off the table’, with even the prospect of Tories endorsing a Labour or Lib Dem constituency candidate better placed to defeat the SNP, in a quid-proquo tactical voting agreement.
With Scottish Greens standing in only a handful of constituencies, and Alba sticking to the regional list, the SNP is able to hoover up pro-independence votes, while Union supporters are split three ways.
Mr Ross wanted to meet Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie to discuss a tactical voting understanding that would give all three parties a greater chance of picking up more constituencies. However, Mr Sarwar said the offer was just ‘your petty agenda of game-playing’ in a strongly worded rejection letter.
Alistair Carmichael MP, who leads the Lib Dem campaign, said Mr Ross’s politics were ‘too dark and divisive’.
Mr Ross said: ‘It’s incredibly disappointing that other parties won’t even discuss how we can work together.
‘We sincerely offered to cooperate in the interests of stopping an SNP majority that they would use to hold another divisive referendum, regardless of what the UK Government said.
‘The SNP, Greens and Alex Salmond’s party are intent on forming a pro-independence super-majority. Labour just don’t seem to get it. They won’t rule out working with the SNP but they instantly reject working with unionist parties.
‘They are still not willing to stand up to the Nationalists.
‘The Lib Dems, including Alistair Carmichael himself, were once willing to work with the Conservatives in the national interest.
‘They argue, as we do, that we must put recovery first in this election. But they won’t agree to once again put aside old tribal differences so we can make that happen.’
Mr Sarwar is determined to stop the election debate being dominated by the bitter feud between Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond, and the Nationalists’ demand for another independence referendum.
He also hopes to return Labour to the position of official opposition at Holyrood.
In his letter responding to Mr Ross, he wrote: ‘As you know, the Scottish Labour Party does not support Scottish independence or a second referendum.
‘This election is about taking Scotland forward – we deserve better than your desperate attempts to take us back to old arguments and the politics of the past. This election cannot be about an SNP psychodrama.
‘Labour are not willing to stand up to the SNP’ ‘Ross’s politics are far too dark and divisive’
It cannot be about Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond settling old scores. And it cannot be about your petty agenda of game-playing. This election must be about the people of Scotland, their families and a national recovery.’
Mr Carmichael said: ‘Lib Dems will work with others to deliver a constructive and ambitious plan for recovery but Douglas Ross’s politics are far too dark and divisive.
‘We will focus on winning seats and ensuring that the next government is focused on putting the recovery first, not independence.’