SCOTS Tory leader Ruth Davidson has attacked the SNP for criticising her decision to become the Honorary Colonel of a British Army regiment.
The MSP said she had been criticised from “fury brigades on social media” after accepting the role with the 32 Signal Regiment, where she had previously served as a reservist.
In what the SNP called a “bizarre Twitter rant”, Davidson said the reaction of independence supporters to her appointment was a sign of their weakness.
In the past, she suggested, the party would have shrugged it off.
It was seemingly a parliamentary question from SNP MP Douglas Chapman – asking Ministry of Defence chiefs to detail the “formal processes” which led to the regiment offering Davidson the rank – that provoked the Tory’s outburst.
“I know that the fury brigades on social media react to the slightest trigger, and I am a pretty stout veteran of 2014, but even I wasn’t expecting the hostile and vitriolic tirades that followed the event at Edinburgh Castle to promote Armed Forces day, encouraged by SNP outriders,” Davidson wrote in a thread of 35 tweets.
“There are thousands of Scots involved in the UK armed forces, both regular and reserve.
“Hon positions have existed for decades to help and support regimental work.
“While, yes, they are frequently taken up by senior retired officers, it is becoming increasingly common for civilians to perform the role – especially with reserve units as they can perform an important link with civilian employers etc.
“My fear is that people will think twice about saying yes if they reckon they’re going to get the ‘Highland Spring’ treatment.”
This was a reference to independence supporters threatening to boycott Highland Spring mineral water after the firm’s CEO seemingly criticised the First Minister over plans for a second independence referendum.
Davidson also published correspondence from two senior Army officers showing she delayed the announcement at Edinburgh Castle until after the council election and snap General Election.
Major General Nick Ashmore, the Army’s Military Secretary and General Officer Scotland, added a handwritten note of congratulations at the end of his letter, saying: “Thank you for taking this on.”
In his letter, Lt Gen Nick Pope, Master of Signals, added: “Welcome back to 32!”
Mark Lancaster, a junior defence minister, confirmed in his reply to Chapman that the regulations had been followed “and all three Services take care to ensure that appointments have not been made solely on the basis of personal or professional acquaintance or friendship.”
He added that 113 civilians had been offered an honorary rank since 2013.
An SNP spokesman suggested the Tory leader’s reaction to the questions was excessive.
“Ruth Davidson’s summer meltdown suggests her holiday is long overdue and much needed after this bizarre Twitter rant.
“These are perfectly legitimate questions – it is only right that an MP can hold the party of government to account.
“Being quite this hot-headed is not a great look for a political leader nor, for that matter, a Colonel.”
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