THE Scottish Tories are coming under increasing pressure to sack one of their key Holyrood candidates after she accused politicians and the media of "creating panic and fear" over Covid-19.
Sue Webber, the Tory candidate for Edinburgh Western, also praised the decision to freeze public sector pay in a series of explosive messages sent to a WhatsApp group for Conservative councillors.
Having been placed second on the party’s list for the Lothian region, the Edinburgh councillor looked set to secure a seat in May’s election. But Douglas Ross is now facing calls to drop her from the party’s ticket.
In the messages seen by The Herald, Webber claimed Ross was "out of his mind" for refusing to oppose "crazy travel bans" and dubbed the First Minister “egotistical madam Sturgeon”.
She also agreed that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is bolstering the case for independence.
The comments were branded "grossly inappropriate" by Tory members who raised concerns – which they say party chiefs have ignored.
In another message, Webber told colleagues that the “media and many ill-informed politicians” were “creating panic and fear” over Covid-19, claiming that that the NHS was “not overwhelmed in terms of beds being filled”, adding that “poor decisions on timing of when they test still is creating pressure”.
When restrictions were increased before Christmas, Webber wrote "people die ... more people die in winter".
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In a further post, the Tory praised public sector pay being frozen, saying it was “about time”. After a colleague brought up council employees having to work extremely long hours, she added: “Welcome to the hours we work in the private sector”.
Webber wrote: “I was thinking of a vote-winning policy called salary sacrifice where they only get 80% and have to struggle like the others on furlough.
“Then they might want this sorry state to get resolved faster.”
Tory activists told the Herald they have complained about Webber’s behaviour to party bosses but said their concerns have fallen on deaf ears.
They have also highlighted what they labelled as "proper nasty Tory stuff" about the councillor's views on public sector workers.
SNP candidate for Edinburgh Central Angus Robertson commented: “To see a Tory candidate suggest docking the pay of all those who have been on the frontline keeping public services going during this pandemic is a disgrace.
"Frontline workers have been working day-in day-out to keep Scotland safe from COVID-19, and Ms Webber's attempt to downplay the fight against this virus does a total disservice to them.
“It is no surprise a person with these toxic views is standing for the party of Boris Johnson and Douglas Ross, it speaks volumes about the Tories.
“The Tory mask has well and truly slipped and the party has a duty to address these comments. It's hard to see how Ms Webber can now remain as a candidate.”
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Webber is second only to Miles Briggs on the Tory Lothian list. She is ahead of two sitting MSPs, Jeremey Balfour and Gordon Lindhurst – who has been demoted to seventh place after failing to secure an “endorsement” from Ruth Davidson’s selection panel.
Scottish Greens health spokesperson and Lothians MSP, Alison Johnstone, said: “It is deeply alarming that the Scottish Conservatives could select someone who willing to risk public health, denies the science and holds the public sector workers who have seen us through this crisis in such contempt.
She added: “And if councillor Webber feel the pitiful pay freeze in the Westminster budget was too much, she will be outraged at the pay increase the Scottish Greens secured this week. These workers have been our front line against this virus, and deserve to be valued, not punished by cruel Conservatives.
"Either the Conservatives agree that lives should be risked and that NHS staff should get a pay cut, or candidates spreading this dangerous rhetoric should be deselected.”
Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton, who is aiming to retain his Edinburgh Western seat, also spoke out.
He said: "While our NHS and public sector staff work hard to get us through the pandemic, Sue Webber is suggesting docking their pay. “For her to be ranked above sitting Conservative MSPs on the list suggests that her party has taken a turn for the extreme.
"She's right about one thing though: Boris Johnson is the nationalist's dream recruiting sergeant. Both sides thrive on petty squabbles while Scotland suffers."
A Scottish Conservative party spokesman commented: "Candidates, councillors and other members often share views with each other on group chats on a private and informal basis and they are reminded about the importance of being considerate and measured while doing so."
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