Humza Yousaf’s call last weekend for the SNP to make Scotland “Tory-free” has sparked a considerable backlash.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross was among the leading critics, saying the FM’s message demonstrated the SNP’s "open contempt for the almost 700,000 Scots who voted Scottish Conservative at the last election".
Today, one of our readers argues that Mr Yousaf’s rhetoric was deliberately aimed at creating a smokescreen.
Richard Allison of Edinburgh writes:
"It is abundantly clear why the First Minister has decided to use the divisive rhetoric of having a “Tory-free” Scotland or questioning the “fitness” of Keir Starmer to lead the country. He stood as the continuity candidate following Nicola Sturgeon, who one recalls saying she “detested” all Tories. He simply does not want to be examined on the disastrous policy record of an SNP Government that has been in power too long.
"Further, the SNP continues with its quixotic independence papers with its latest one on defence in an independent Scotland being universally derided, but again it diverts focus away from its domestic record. Unfortunately for the First Minister, the forthcoming election will be dominated by the SNP’s utter failure in education, health and transport and no diversionary tactics will take the focus away from such failures."
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