RUSSELL Findlay has labelled the SNP’s depute leader “permanently grumpy” as he denied moving the Tories further to the right.
It comes after Kemi Badenoch was announced as the new leader of the Tory party on Saturday, beating Robert Jenrick at the end of a three-month-long contest.
Findlay also revealed he backed Badenoch in the Tory leadership contest, describing her as a "woman of great integrity" and that he "admires her tenacity".
Following the announcement, the SNP’s depute leader Keith Brown (below) said the election of Badenoch showed the Tories were “lurching to the far right”.
Asked about this on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme, the Scottish Tory leader said: “Well, I mean Keith Brown’s permanently grumpy. He’s always good value for a quote.”
Host Laura Maxwell interjected that while Findlay might joke, a new poll suggested Reform could win as many as 12 MSPs at the next Holyrood election while the Tories could potentially be reduced to 16.
“I’ve been in this job a matter of weeks,” he said.
“We’ve seen one poll. I don’t think we can read too much into that poll or indeed any poll. My job and Kemi’s job is to reconnect with the people across the United Kingdom, to show them that we understand their concerns and to come up with compelling, credible policies rooted in our values.”
Findlay was then pressed on moving the Conservatives “quite far to the right,” particularly given his views on things like universal free prescriptions – which he claimed Scots would be “perfectly happy” to see the end of.
He also called for an end to the SNP’s “freebie” culture, hitting out at policies such as the baby box.
Findlay said: “I don’t know how you would define ‘to the right’. I think common sense, practical policies that put consideration for the taxpayers at their heart isn’t right-wing, it’s common sense.
“It’s unapologetically so.”
Asked about the prospect of removing free tuition and baby boxes and how this might hit the poorest in society, the Scottish Tory leader added: “When I gave a speech a week ago today in Edinburgh, my first major speech as the Scottish leader, I didn’t say we would do away with these universal benefits.
“I said it’s long overdue that we have an adult conversation. Taxpayers, people listening to this who work hard, long hours and see their tax take getting bigger and bigger and bigger while public services get worse and worse, they understand that.
“I think it’s entirely right that we as a party in opposition at UK level and in Scotland need to look at what is considered free and whether that represents good value for money for taxpayers.”
On Badenoch, he added: "I really admire the fact she isn't afraid to say it how she sees it. And if that sometimes upsets people, so be it.
"I think people are probably a little bit sick of politicians who sit on the fence and try and be very clever with their words and I think she's hugely refreshing."
