SCOTTISH Tory leader Douglas Ross has been grilled about his commitment to equal rights after his past views on same-sex marriage were uncovered.
MSPs passed legislation legalising same-sex marriage in Scotland in February 2014.
Mr Ross, who was then a Tory councillor, told the Northern Scot newspaper at the time that he would have voted against the bill, warning “we should also recognise the hundreds of thousands of people who oppose this legislation”.
During the Channel 4 election debate, host Krishnan Guru-Murthy pointed out to Mr Ross that the legislation being passed made former Scottish Tory leader, Ruth Davidson, “cry with joy that she was so pro-equal marriage”.
READ MORE: Channel 4 election debate recap: Nicola Sturgeon takes on Holyrood rivals
He added: “Were you against equal marriage in 2014?”
Mr Ross said: “I’ve said, in a debate in Moray Council chamber, that there was a passionate engaged debate on both sides and I was balancing both sides of the argument because many constituents had contacted me about it.
“I said at the time I would have voted against it, just like two of Nicola Sturgeon’s government ministers voted against it.
“I have also said that I fully support it. I think marriage is a thing of beauty both for men and women and people of same sex and it’s something we should support.”
But Labour leader Anas Sarwar intervened, pointing to Mr Ross’s apology at the last live debate over his views on the traveller community.
Mr Sarwar claimed “they’ve gone back to the same old Tories”.
READ MORE: Douglas Ross grilled over 'prejudiced' travellers comments
He added: “The cuddly Tories under Ruth Davidson are well and truly gone.
“There’s a reason why Ruth Davidson has walked away – because we’ve got Boris, we’ve got Brexit, we’ve got chaos, we’ve got division.
“Not only is Douglas talking about same sex marriage, he’s already had to apologise for hateful views against other minority communities in Scotland.
“We’re back to the same old Tories and frankly we deserve better.”
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