RISHI Sunak’s visit to Scotland on Thursday should mark the “beginning of an apology tour,” the SNP’s Westminster leader has said.
Stephen Flynn hit out at the Tory Prime Minister after he began a General Election campaign with plans to visit all four UK nations in 48 hours.
Sunak is expected at a campaign event with Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross in the Inverness area later on Thursday.
He has already appeared in Wales and Derbyshire – where he was found to have taken questions from Tory councillors planted in the audience to look like warehouse workers.
Ahead of the Scottish visit, Flynn branded the Westminster Tory government an “unmitigated disaster” for Scotland, pointing to Brexit, a cost of living crisis, and the consistent denial that Scots have a right to choose their own constitutional future.
Flynn said: "Rishi Sunak’s fleeting visit should mark the beginning of an apology tour of Scotland – and it's a reminder of why it's essential to vote SNP to remove the Tory government and put Scotland first.
“This Tory government has been an unmitigated disaster for Scotland – imposing Brexit, austerity cuts and a cost of living crisis, and denying Scotland's democratic right to choose our own future with independence.
"The Highlands has suffered at the hands of Westminster despite the bright future the region could have at the heart of our energy transition – the SNP will always demand investment in Highlands jobs and we saw that recently with a Japanese firm set to invest £350 million in the region thanks to backing from the SNP Scottish Government.
"Only a vote for the SNP can protect our NHS and economy from Westminster parties who have no interest in Scotland's priorities. A vote for the SNP is a vote to put Scotland first – and for Scotland to become an independent country.”
During the visit to Wales on Thursday, Sunak put his foot in his mouth after asking locals if they were looking forward to “all the football” later this summer as a potential source of revenue – despite Wales not qualifying for the Euro 2024 tournament.
