A Scottish Conservative councillor has demanded the SNP stop referring to his party as Tories.
Todd Ferguson, who represents Dalry on North Ayrshire Council, claimed that Nationalists were using the term in a derogatory way in debates.
At a local authority meeting this week he told one Nationalist councillor: “It is a derogatory term and I would prefer if you call us by our appropriate name, which is the Conservatives or Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.”
But the SNP representative Tony Gurney fired back: “On [social] media, the handle for the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party as chosen for them by their Westminster colleagues is ScotTories.”
Provost Ian Clarkson, who was chairing the meeting, interrupted an argument between the pair and asked SNP members to refer to the group as the Conservatives from now on.
Ferguson told the Record he was happy to call himself a Tory when not in the council chamber - and insisted his call was about ensuring respectful debate between elected representatives.
"Tory is something used in Scotland colloquially to refer to the Conservatives and it's not used as much in England," he said.
"Personally, I don't have an issue with it and I have referred to myself as a Tory. It's purely do with inside the chamber and wanting to create a respectful environment amongst the different political groups."
He added: "We work on cross-party committees where there is none of that language used, but as soon as we get into full council, and the press pick up on things, all of a sudden it's Tory this, and Tory that.
"It automatically brings up negative connotations among certain aspects of the electorate. That's why it's used."
But the spat was seized on by Nationalists on social media.
Adam McVey, the SNP leader of Edinburgh City Council, said: "Even the Tories are mortified to be Tories. No wonder. Their leader in Scotland is targeting minorities and their boss in London…. well least said the better."
The term Tory originates from an Irish language word for outlaw or robber, and was first collectively used to refer to Royalists in Ireland who fought against the invasion of Oliver Cromwell in 1649.
It later was used to refer to the Royalist faction in the pre-Union English parliament, who were opposed to the Whigs.
But by the time of the 1832 Great Reform Act, Tory had become common language for conservatives with strong pro-monarchy views.
A Tory spokesman said: “We are happy to be called Tories.
“Although, in context, we do understand the point Councillor Ferguson was making, which was that in formal discussions, it’s more professional to refer to the party by our official title.”
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