Claims that SNP rebels are working with the Scottish Conservatives to bring down the Bute House Agreement are “entirely false”, First Minister Humza Yousaf has said.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said on Monday at the UK party’s conference in Manchester that he had spoken to SNP MSPs about potentially voting with his party against the agreement with the Government and the Scottish Greens.
He also claimed he had “discussions” with SNP backbenchers over their frustrations with the governing party’s approach to leadership.
Kate Forbes and Ash Regan – former SNP leadership candidates – have both rejected the claims made by the Scottish Tory leader.
The future of our party, and of Scotland itself, is too important to be swayed by backroom talks with those who don’t share our vision for an independent nation— Ash Regan, SNP MSP
Referencing the comments from Ms Forbes and Ms Regan, Mr Yousaf told journalists on Tuesday: “I don’t think that’s the case. He name-checked a couple of MSPs who have since said that the story is entirely false.”
He added: “Douglas Ross’ own MSPs don’t seem to talk to Douglas Ross, so I don’t expect that SNP MSPs will be forming a queue.
“I think his story doesn’t stack up and everybody in the SNP knows that the Conservatives work against Scotland’s interests.
“So, I don’t imagine any elected SNP MSP or MP would want to be talking to Douglas Ross or certainly aligning themselves with the Conservative Party.”
Mr Ross, MP for Moray, told the conference on Monday: “I have spoken to members of the SNP who have raised concerns with me about the direction of their government and would look at ways that Parliament can hold the SNP to account, and that clearly shows a frustration with some members of the current governing party of Scotland that their own leadership is not listening to them.
“I have been contacted, and I have had discussions, with backbench members of the SNP.”
He also said he hoped the rebel MSPs would speak out on the SNP-Green coalition, adding: “I hope some of these dissenting voices in the SNP will get behind that and vote the Greens out of office.”
Ms Forbes took to X, formerly Twitter, to dismiss the claims. She said: “Douglas ‘Three Jobs’ Ross hardly spends any time in Scot Parl or speaking to his own party colleagues.
“Which is only one of the many, many reasons why I’ve never said more than a passing hello to him since he was elected.
“Conference hyperbole compensating for a failed Tory Gov.”
Ms Regan said: “Constructive dialogue within @theSNP is essential for growth; but let’s be very clear: the future of our party, and of Scotland itself, is too important to be swayed by backroom talks with those who don’t share our vision for an independent nation.”
Scottish Tory MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said: “Douglas very deliberately, and rightly, did not name the SNP figures who contacted him.
“However, I would urge all of those in the SNP who are alarmed at the malign influence the extremist Greens are having on Scotland to work with the Scottish Conservatives and others to help remove them from government.
“It’s no good someone like Kate Forbes complaining about the SNP-Green coalition betraying our Highland constituents, if she’s too obsessed with independence to work with us to do something about it.”
