THE Scottish Conservatives have been accused of importing the “dodgy” election tactics that led to criminal investigations into some of their MPs south of the border.

The party is under fire for distributing thousands of anti-independence leaflets in the local elections urging people to “send Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP a message they can’t ignore”.

However, despite being intended to influence how people vote on May 4, the cost does not count towards local spending limits as the material does not name any candidates.

Instead, the generic leaflets count towards UK Conservative spending on the general election.

This includes leaflets which were distributed before the general election was even called, as the regulated spending period for the poll applies retrospectively.

The local election spending cap is around £1500 per candidate, but the national party limit UK-wide is expected to be around £19m.

The Scottish LibDems said the material echoed controversial Tory campaigning in the 2015 general election, when a nationally-funded “battlebus” was used to boost votes in specific constituencies, but the spending was not reported as local candidate expenditure.

The Electoral Commission last month fined the Tories a record £70,000 for failing to report its spending in 2015 and three 2014 by-elections accurately.

Fifteen police forces have also submitted files to the Crown Prosecution Service about the 2015 Tory campaign, with at least 30 candidates and elections agents involved.

In the Commons yesterday, Alex Salmond said the Tories had “bought” the last election.

Scottish LibDem MSP Mike Rumbles said: “Theresa May called a general election to bury Tory expense investigations but now it looks like Ruth Davidson’s Scottish Conservatives are engaged in some similarly dodgy looking practices.

“The Tories have been spending tens of thousands of pounds to influence the council elections with posted election mailings which mimic, to the letter, the slogans on candidate leaflets.

“These letters and leaflets were with the Royal Mail long in advance of the Prime Minister calling a snap election so they clearly are intended to influence the council elections.

“And once you add in the reports of Tory council candidates not being aware that they were nominated for the election, there will be some pretty tough times ahead at Tory HQ.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: “This is national messaging against a second independence referendum which has been going out consistently. There is no mention of the council elections, and no promotion of any candidates.”