Voters have seven days to deny John Swinney a majority, end his demands for another independence referendum and ‘send him homeward to think again’, Russell Findlay has declared. The Scottish Conservative leader has issued a rallying cry to pro-Union voters on how they can unite to ‘save our United Kingdom’.
In an article for the Scottish Daily Mail, he issues a clear and stark message to Scots that they must not allow the country to ‘sleepwalk into fresh constitutional chaos’. His plea comes as Mr Swinney, on Wednesday, stepped up his campaign to secure a majority and renew the SNP’s crusade to tear Scotland out of the UK.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also told voters that they can ‘boot the SNP out of power after 20 years of failure’ in next week’s Holyrood elections.
Campaign Trail Developments
In other developments on the campaign trail:
- Reform UK’s Scottish leader Lord Malcolm Offord rejected calls to publish his tax returns after revealing in Tuesday’s STV leaders debate that he has a portfolio of six homes, five cars and six boats;
- Mr Sarwar unveiled a series of emergency actions he would take in the first 100 days across the NHS, economy and public services to fix the ‘mess’ created by the SNP;
- Mr Findlay said Scots workers and businesses are desperate for a break from the SNP’s ‘crippling’ taxes as he began a tour of ‘blue wall’ seats in the Borders;
- Mr Swinney denied the SNP’s approach to tax is deterring high net worth individuals from living in Scotland.
Findlay's Warning
In his message to voters as the campaign enters its final seven days, Mr Findlay warned that ‘desperately pressing issues’ such as easing the strain on families by cutting taxes or cutting NHS red tape to recruit more doctors and nurses will be ignored if the SNP wins a majority. He said: ‘The public’s priorities will be swept aside as Swinney puts party before country and re-opens wounds that have never been allowed to heal. We can’t let that happen.’
‘My message to pro-UK voters is clear and stark: don’t allow Scotland to sleepwalk into fresh constitutional chaos. You have seven days to deny Swinney his majority and save our United Kingdom. Together, united, we can send him homeward to think again.’
He also said it is ‘certain’ that Scotland will be ‘plunged into fresh constitutional chaos’ if the SNP wins the election outright, and that the threat of another referendum taking place ‘is at its greatest since 2014’.
Swinney's Stance
Earlier this week, Mr Swinney made it clear he would prioritise independence from day one if he returns to power by forcing an immediate Holyrood vote about transferring referendum powers from Westminster and publishing a draft referendum Bill. In Tuesday’s STV debate, he also said he would ‘look forward to working together’ with a Sinn Fein First Minister in Northern Ireland and a Plaid Cymru First Minister in Wales.
In his article, Mr Findlay said: ‘The prospect of such an axis of devolved nationalist governments should send a chill down the spine of every proud Unionist. Not even the former political wing of the IRA is beyond the pale for Swinney’s SNP. Mail readers’ memories of the Troubles remain vivid. Like me, they will be appalled at the prospect of Swinney working with Sinn Fein to break up the UK. No party is too toxic for Swinney as long as they share the destructive streak of nationalism. But this nightmare scenario is not set in stone. If pro-UK voters unite behind the Scottish Conservatives on their peach ballot paper, we can stop an SNP majority and their push for another divisive referendum.’
Polling and Tactical Voting
A Survation poll this week put the SNP on track for 62 seats, with Reform UK on 19, Labour 17, the Greens 12, Conservatives 11, and Lib Dems eight. The Scottish Daily Mail’s tactical voting guide for pro-UK voters, produced in conjunction with the Scotland in Union campaign group, backed Labour as the best-placed rival to the SNP in 47 constituencies, the Conservatives in 16, and the Lib Dems in ten.
Mr Sarwar said: ‘In seven days’ time, Daily Mail readers will have the chance to boot the SNP out of power after 20 years of failure. The SNP have neglected our NHS, have run down our public services and divided our country. Scotland deserves so much better. So, if you want someone who will fix the mess and bring our country together, then vote for me and Scottish Labour.’
At a campaign event in Edinburgh, Mr Swinney said: ‘The other parties want to stop us putting to the people the right to decide their own constitutional future. So we need to win an SNP majority on May 7 – that is the key to delivering a referendum.’
