RUTH Davidson has been accused of performing a “jaw-dropping” U-turn after she threw her support behind a Tory Brexiteer.
The First Minister also said there was “not a shred of principle or consistency at play” from the Scottish Tory leader.
Nicola Sturgeon was responding to a tweet from Scotland’s Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell, which points out the staggering change of direction from Davidson.
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Russell wrote in the tweet: “In a BBC interview in September 2017 @RuthDavidsonMSP said she would campaign to remain in the EU if there was another referendum. Today she is commending the Tory candidate in the #Peterborough by-election to voters because he 'voted for #Brexit'.”
In a BBC interview in September 2017 @RuthDavidsonMSP said she would campaign to remain in the EU if there was another referendum. Today she is commending the Tory candidate in the #Peterborough by election to voters because he “voted for #Brexit.” pic.twitter.com/nQHx07u0c3
— Michael Russell (@Feorlean) May 29, 2019
The tweet was accompanied by an image which contains a message from Davidson. It calls on voters to back the Tory candidate in next week’s Peterborough by-election.
“Local man Paul Bristow,” according to the text on the image, “voted for Brexit” and “can be trusted to deliver on the result of the 2016 EU referendum”.
Not doing so, it continued, “would let in Jeremy Corbyn’s candidate who will back a second referendum if she is elected”.
The First Minister then quote-tweeted Russell’s post, pointing to the U-turn from the Scottish Tory leader.
“This is jaw-dropping,” wrote Sturgeon. “From telling people in 2016 that Brexit would be a disaster, to now seeking support for a Tory candidate because he ‘voted for Brexit’.
This is jaw-dropping. From telling people in 2016 that Brexit would be a disaster, to now seeking support for a Tory candidate because he ‘voted for Brexit’. There is not a shred of principle or consistency at play here. https://t.co/UIOL2gOfEV
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 29, 2019
“There is not a shred of principle or consistency at play here.”
Peterborough is holding a by-election and as many as 15 candidates are vying to take the seat vacated by the disgraced Fiona Onasanya.
The former Labour MP was jailed after being found guilty of perverting the course of justice with regards to a speeding offence.
There are concerns among the main parties that Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party will replicate their European Parliament election result in next Thursday’s poll.
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