RUTH Davidson has been accused of an "embarrassing U-turn" after abandoning Scottish Tory opposition to free NHS prescriptions.

The Scottish Tory manifesto will commit to free prescribed medicines despite the party opposing the flagship SNP policy for the last decade. Davidson described having free prescriptions as a "sound" policy, although it contradicts her party's policy in England and Wales which is to retain charging.

Davidson previously attacked free prescriptions, which were introduced by Salmond after the SNP win in 2007, as a "publicly-funded bribe" to win independence.

Last night, the SNP's Alex Salmond described the shift as a "Damascene conversion" by Davidson. Adding that the Tories were now trying to "mimic the success of the SNP" in a desperate bid to get MPs elected in Scotland.

Salmond, who is standing for re-election in Gordon, said: “The SNP’s flagship free prescriptions policy has been an overwhelming success and is one of the reasons that people continue to put their trust in the SNP after 10 years in government.

"Ruth Davidson used to describe free prescriptions as a 'publicly-funded bribe' – but this Damascene conversion shows that even the Tories can reluctantly recognise that it is the SNP that pursues the right policies for Scotland."

Davidson's U-Turn puts her at odds with Theresa May, whose government is responsible for charges of £8.60 per item south of the border.

Davidson announced the policy as part of her General Election campaign to win Westminster MPs, although Holyrood holds powers over health.

Scottish Secretary David Mundell, who serves in May's cabinet, is standing on the policy of retaining free prescriptions, despite the Prime Minister's opposition to it.

The Scottish Tories said the change in stance was because medication is playing a growing role as an alternative to hospital care.

However, Davidson admitted the shift was also motivated by the " large amount of support" for free prescriptions in Scotland. She said it was aimed at boosting the party's support in Scotland and positioning the Tories as an alternative party of government at Holyrood.

Speaking to journalists at Holyrood, she said: "Last year we got a result that a lot of people didn't expect. My challenge for the next few years is to turn us into a credible alternative government in Scotland and this is part of that.

"There is large amount of support for this policy and we recognise that." Adding, "So we think that it's a sound one [policy]."

Davidson confirmed that she would appoint a health advisory board in the coming weeks to examine how best to make the policy shift.

Her volte face was savaged as opportunism leading to claims that Davidson "would do and say anything" to get Tory MPs elected in Scotland in the General Election on June 8.

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Anas Sarwar said :"This is an embarrassing U-turn by the Tories. All this humiliating shift shows is that once again the Tories simply can't be trusted on the NHS."

Scottish Green health spokesperson Alison Johnstone, echoing the criticism, added: “The Tories will have people scratching their heads on this one, wondering what the real reasons are for the U-turn, welcome as it is.

"Everyone knows the Tories at Westminster are desperate to privatise the NHS down south and you only have to look at their recent treatment of junior doctors to see how they view NHS staff."

Davidson claimed the policy was one of a number of areas where the Scottish Tories had a different stance to the party at Westminster.

She said: "In the 2015 General Election campaign there were differences between the UK party manifesto and the Scottish manifesto, on both devolved and reserved issues, on things like the right to buy.

"I would expect in the next couple of weeks that when the manifestos come out that there will be divergences there."

Scottish Tory health spokesperson Donald Cameron said the party had decided to back free NHS prescriptions partly because of the popularity of the policy. However, he insisted it was more about adapting to changes in the way the NHS delivers care.

The MSP said: "There is no doubt at all that people in Scotland value the idea of free prescriptions. We have listened to them, and changed our policy."