THE SNP have warned that Scotland will lose out no matter who wins the keys to Downing Street in the Tory leadership race.
Ahead of Monday’s expected confirmation of the race winner, Ian Blackford has said that both Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are trying to “out-Thatcher the other” while rejecting Scottish democracy and the public’s concerns over the cost-of-living crisis.
This comes as both candidates have ignored calls to cancel the upcoming increase to the energy price cap, with bills set to rise by 80% from £1971 to £3549 from October 1.
And another hike to the price cap is expected to arrive on January 1 which could see it hit more than £5300, according to money-saving expert Martin Lewis.
Both candidates have also committed to trying to block Scotland’s route to independence.
During the Tory hustings in Perth, the only one to be held in Scotland, Truss said: “To me, we are not neighbours, we are family, and I will never let our family be split up”
Meanwhile, Sunak was similarly dismissive of Scotland’s right to leave the Union, saying he “can’t imagine the circumstances in which he would ever allow another Scottish independence referendum".
While Truss is the outright favourite to fill in for Boris Johnson, Blackford has claimed either candidate will be bad news for Scots.
He said: "Whether it is Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak who wins the keys to Downing Street, Scotland loses - with both candidates committed to the race to the right and to imposing damaging policies against our will.
"While people are in fear at the prospect of opening their bills as prices rocket, wondering how they will make ends meet, the Tories have been more focused on their own narrow self-interest.
"At a time when we need to see meaningful and targeted support to protect households - including cancelling the energy price cap rise - the reality is that the plans being put forward by both Truss and Sunak fail to barely scratch the surface of this crisis.
“Scotland wants a different future to the one being imposed under harmful Westminster control. The only way to escape the damage of Brexit, protect people’s livelihoods and deliver meaningful change is to become an independent country."
Both the Truss and Sunak leadership campaigns have been contacted for comment.
