NICOLA Sturgeon has been accused of using “really dangerous” political rhetoric after saying she “detests” the Tories and everything they stand for.
UK cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi criticised the First Minister after she made the remark on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
The Scottish Tories said Ms Sturgeon's mask had slipped.
Asked if she would prefer Liz Truss or Labour leader SIr Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, Ms Sturgeon said: “If the question to me is whether I would prefer a Labour government over a Tory government... I detest the Tories and everything they stand for.
“So it’s not difficult to answer that question… yes [I would prefer Labour].”
Her comment came immediately after Ms Sturgeon was asked if Ms Truss was a friend or foe and replied: “I would like to be a friend in the areas where we can work constructively.”
Appearing later on the same show, Mr Zahawi, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, mentioned the remarks as he warned against a Labour government in cahoots with the SNP.
He said: “We don’t want to see Keir Starmer with Nicola Sturgeon, who now talks about detesting the Conservatives. I think that language is really dangerous.
“I prefer to work with my colleagues in Scotland on delivering the freeports, the greenports, as I want to do with John Swinney and others.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: "This is a very tense moment in Scottish politics, and we have seen examples this year alone of where that tension has boiled over in an unpleasant way.
"We could do with our political leaders showing some more care over their language and focussing on putting the challenges facing the people of Scotland first."
Tory MSP Donald Cameron added: “Nicola Sturgeon should be more careful and respectful in the language she uses.
“Responsible politicians should be able to disagree without resorting to inflammatory language about hating their opponents.
“By saying she detests the Conservatives and everything we stand for, she is, by inference, insulting the 630,000-plus Scots who voted for us at last year’s Scottish Parliament elections.
“Her comments also undermined her own claim moments earlier that she wanted to ‘work constructively’ with the Prime Minister.
"Nicola Sturgeon’s mask later slipped, and it’s clear she has no wish to cooperate with the UK Government and will, instead, stoke grievance at every opportunity.”
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