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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Politics
Rachel Keenan

SNP push for independence would only bring joy to despots like Putin – Findlay

Russell Findlay has blasted the SNP over their plans for independence (Jane Barlow/PA) - (PA Wire)

The Scottish Conservatives have said the SNP’s plans for independence would “only bring joy to despots like Putin”.

Party leader Russell Findlay said the “woke” SNP has turned Holyrood into a lab for “weird and wacky ideas”.

Mr Findlay criticised the SNP’s gender self-ID laws, issues with the CalMac ferry plans and the continued push for independence.

He said: “Woke SNP politicians and their extremist Green pals have turned Holyrood into a lab for weird and wacky ideas which, unfortunately for the paying public, are not April Fools’ Day jokes.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

“We’ve suffered Nicola Sturgeon’s gender self-ID law that would have trashed women’s rights and allowed every male rapist and sex criminal to be legally classed as female.

“Then there’s the SNP’s stinkingly corrupt CalMac scandal that has seen half a billion pounds of taxpayers’ cash spent on two dodgy ferries and Scottish islanders left high and dry.

“And, of course, John Swinney only cares about independence, when breaking up the UK would instantly make our great country poorer, less stable and less safe and bring joy to despots like Putin.

“The SNP lanyard class are completely disconnected from what matters to hard-working Scots in the real world and the Scottish Conservatives have been the only party to robustly and consistently stand up to their madness.

“Scots are crying out for some common sense from their politicians and the best way to achieve that is to vote Scottish Conservative on your peach ballot paper on May 7.”

SNP candidate for Paisley, George Adam, said: “The biggest April Fool’s joke is Russell Findlay continuing to spout nonsense that the Tories are in contention in this election.

“Scottish voters won’t forgive the Tories for dragging us out of the EU against our will, crashing the economy and leaving us all bearing the cost.”

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