SCOTTISH Tory leader Douglas Ross has claimed the SNP will “lie through their back teeth” to win votes in a furious attack on the party ahead of polling day.
Speaking to the Scottish Daily Express, Ross said he was too focused on the campaign to deal with a brewing civil war in his party, with one MSP previously describing the campaign as “shambolic” and the “worst in history”.
Ross threw the campaign into turmoil when he U-turned on his pledge not to stand as an MP and blocked former Scotland Office minister David Duguid from standing.
He said: “John Swinney is going back to 2021 Scottish Parliament election. I was in the debate with Nicola Sturgeon (below) when she was telling people, even if they don’t support independence, vote for the SNP, for how they handled the Covid pandemic etc.
“They will lie through their back teeth to get support, and we’re seeing that, again, they will stop at nothing to get the support of local people across the country.
“And as soon as the election is over, they will use every vote cast for them as an argument for independence.
“We need to stop that and the best way to stop that in key seats is uniting behind the Scottish Conservatives to beat the SNP.”
Ross’s comments come as John Swinney warned the election is on a “knife edge” and that voting for Labour would mean “more of the same” for people in Scotland.
The latest polling from Savanta put the SNP ahead of Labour while the Scottish Conservatives were predicted to return six MPs.
Ross added: “The SNP has not been honest with the voters in the past saying they could vote for the SNP and that won’t be taken as an endorsement of independence when we know that’s exactly what happens every single election so people should understand what nationalist MPs will do.
“They will spend their time at Westminster creating grievance and seeking to divide Scotland all over again.
“And I think what we should be doing is electing Scottish Conservative MPs that will actually be focused in their local area and deliver change in local communities.”
Ross also insisted that although his dramatic U-turn was brought up on the doorsteps, he said voters were more concerned about “local healthcare facilities”.
Asked about reports MSPs are rebelling against him, Ross said he was “just focusing on maximising our vote and returning as many Scottish Conservative MPs on July 4”.
