Liz Truss has been urged to clarify whether she backs ‘independence’ for the Scottish Tories ten years after backing a campaign for a new party.
The Foreign Secretary, who is the bookies’ favourite to succeed Boris Johnson, has talked up her Unionist credentials during the Conservative leadership contest against Rishi Sunak.
She has flagged up her childhood in Paisley, described herself as a ‘child of the Union’ and ruled out supporting indyref2.
However, as revealed by the Record in January, Truss lent her support to a radical campaign in 2011 for the Scottish Tories to become a separate party in their own right.
The call was the centrepiece of Tory MSP Murdo Fraser’s bid to succeed Annabel Goldie as party leader.
He said at the time: "I think it's time we launched a new, progressive, centre-right party with a distinct Scottish identity.
“One that would have a partnership with the UK Conservative party, and in other respects be operationally independent. I think that would be much more attractive to many people in Scotland who share our values.”
In October 2011, Fraser tweeted details of a meeting in London at which he briefed Tory MPs on his proposals.
Truss responded: “When and where is this meeting?”
Twenty four hours later Truss tweeted Fraser’s official campaign account: “Saw Murdo yesterday afternoon. Great campaign!”
Fraser lost the contest to Ruth Davidson, but Johnson’s scandal-ridden administration has led senior party figures to warm to the idea.
SNP MSP Rona Mackay said the would-be PM should clarify her position:
“As the front-runner to be the next Prime Minister, the people of Scotland deserve to know if Liz Truss supports independence for the Scottish Tories so she really must confirm her position.
“And while it would be the height of hypocrisy for the Tories in Scotland to seek to escape from the control of Westminster while denying democracy to voters in Scotland, it might spare Douglas Ross more embarrassment.
“The hapless so-called leader flip-flopped back and forth while desperately trying to detoxify his party from Boris Johnson’s leadership but all he succeeded in doing was undermining his own tenuous credibility.
“And speaking of flip-flopping, it’s hard to keep track of Liz Truss’s political opinions either. From being a LibDem to Brexit, she changes position as often as most people change socks.”
Truss’ campaign team has been contacted.
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