The SNP has shrouded Scotland in a dark, illiberal cloud by cracking down on civil liberties, according to Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie.
Police Scotland is a centralised, all powerful force in chaos, backed by an SNP government which is eroding freedom of information, abolishing corroboration in criminal trials and creating a super ID database, he told the Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference in Aberdeen.
"There has rarely been a time when Scotland needs a strong liberal voice more than today," he said.
"Armed police on the streets of the Highlands. Stop and search many times higher than England. A centralised, all powerful police force - now in chaos.
"The erosion of our freedom of information rights, the abolition of corroboration, and now the creation of a super ID database - one step away from ID cards.
"With a dark, illiberal cloud drenching Scotland, the SNP have a nerve and a half to claim they are a home for liberals.
"Nationalism is not liberalism - and by their actions, we can see it.
"The SNP cannot be trusted with our civil liberties and they know it."
He said the SNP also took their eye of the ball with the NHS while they were pursuing their referendum campaign.
"We know that during the referendum the SNP government took their eye off the ball on day to day services," he said.
"Their focus was independence alone. As a result the NHS went into crisis.
"Cancer waiting times were missed.
"Accident and emergency waiting times were missed.
"Patients were stuck in hospital when they should be cared for at home. Thousands of patients have been waiting.
"It is clear SNP ministers still have their eye off the ball.
"NHS staff are doing their best to manage the crisis in our A&E units but this kind of pressure requires leadership from the top of Government.
"We need fewer grand speeches from them in London, and more attention on the issues at home.
"It's time the SNP Government got a grip."
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