BORIS Johnson today stressed only the Tories can stop the SNP getting a majority at the Holyrood election this Spring - and stop a second independence referendum - as he sought to lure Labour voters.
The Prime Minister made the remarks in his key note speech this afternoon to the Scottish Conservative's Spring conference, which is being held online some seven weeks before polling day.
It is a message which has been put on the Tories election leaflets prompting comments from independence supporters that it suggests Johnson would agree to indyref2 if the SNP win a majority.
A Panelbase poll published today in the Sunday Times put the SNP on course for a majority of one in the election to be held on May 6, down on earlier surveys.
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Launching an attack on Nicola Sturgeon's party, Johnson said that as the UK looks to rebuild following the coronavirus pandemic he found it "incredible ... that the SNP would choose this moment to again push their campaign for separation".
He told the party faithful: "How can the SNP say that a referendum is the priority to them? It is the last thing they need right now. It is clear, though, that the SNP are not listening.
"They are intent on pushing for a referendum, regardless of the cost to Scotland and the whole of the UK."
He added: "So that means it falls to the Scottish Conservatives to make them listen. To shift the focus in Scotland from division and debate onto recovery and rebuilding.
"Friends, you are the only party that can stop an SNP majority and their drive towards a second independence referendum."
READ MORE: Majority of Scots believe independence is inevitable, poll finds
Johnson then appealed to supporters of the Union tempted to vote Labour to back his party instead, presenting Sir Keir Starmer's party as "flip-flopping" over a second independence referendum.
"Labour are too weak and they cannot be trusted to stand up to the SNP," Johnson said.
"Keir Starmer had to pay for independent marketing advice to tell him that he shouldn’t be scared to be seen with the Union flag.
"And he was right behind Jeremy Corbyn when he flip-flopped all over the place on whether there should be another independence referendum. They would rather work with the SNP to be seen as anti-Conservative than stand up for the unity of the United Kingdom."
He continued: "We cannot put the future of our country in Labour’s hands, not in Edinburgh or in London. So, it is up to the Scottish Conservatives to again stop the SNP from winning a majority in May just like they did in 2016. The only party that can cut the SNP down to size."
The poll commissioned by the Sunday Times today suggests that the SNP are on course for a parliamentary majority of one in the Scottish elections in May 6.
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Support for the SNP stood at 47% for the constituency vote, with the Conservatives on 23%, Labour on 20%, the Liberal Democrats on 7% and the Greens on 2%.
For the regional list vote, the SNP were on 38%, the Conservatives on 20%, Labour on 17% and both the Lib Dems and Greens on 6%.
A total of 1,013 Scottish adults were polled online between March 3 and 5.
The poll also found support for a Yes vote stood at 46%, with No on 47%.
When "don't knows" are excluded, this put the weighted support for both Yes and No at 50% each.
Johnson's intervention reflected the core message of a speech to the conference yesterday given by Ruth Davidson, the Tory leader at Holyrood.
She said that “barring a complete implosion the SNP are going to be re-elected as the largest party in the Scottish Parliament” - adding that that the only way to prevent an SNP majority would be to back the Scottish Tories as the largest opposition party.
Speaking today, Johnson was keen to stress the success of the vaccine rollout - which he said was due to the four different nations of the Union working well together - and appealed to "the great British spirit" to help get the UK back on its feet after the pandemic.
"There have been some differences of approach across the country. But on the delivery of PPE, on testing and now the vaccination programme, we pulled together and worked as one United Kingdom," he said.
"This demonstrated, quite simply, the United Kingdom’s collective strength."
He added: "With the support of the broad shoulders of the UK Treasury, an additional £13.3 billion has been delivered so far to support Scottish public services through this crisis. In addition to protecting over 930,000 Scottish jobs through the furlough and the self-employment support schemes.
"Funding £3.4 billion in loans to support over 90,000 Scottish businesses. And it was work on behalf of the whole of the United Kingdom that secured our access to more than 400 million doses of seven vaccines, that are being distributed across our country."
During his speech, Johnson drew attention to his Government's "Levelling Up Fund" which will directly finance large scale infrastructure projects in Scotland and other parts of the UK.
The SNP regard the policy as an attack on devolution as it will fund projects in communities without the money being given to the Scottish Government for onward distribution locally.
"I want to see lots of bids from exciting and innovative projects from communities in Scotland," he said.
"In the coming year, we will use the £220 million for the new Community Renewal Fund to create opportunity and tackle inequality and deprivation wherever we find it across the United Kingdom."
Johnson also announced a "transition scheme" to allow 100,000 oil and gas workers to move into the green energy sector as the UK prepares to host the United Nations' COP 26 climate change conference in Glasgow in November.
"We will ensure that no one is left behind in our transition to a green economy," he said.
"Which is why are negotiating a transformational North Sea Transition Deal to ensure that we protect jobs and create opportunities for the over 100,000 Scottish workers who are dependent on the oil and gas industry as we move to net zero."
Responding to the Prime Minister's speech, the SNP depute leader Keith Brown said: "If Scottish voters back the SNP’s plan to hold a post-pandemic referendum, then the Tories have no right to block it.
"The Tories are in panic mode and running scared of democracy, but today’s poll shows that Boris Johnson’s Trump-like attempts to block a referendum are completely unsustainable.
“In seven weeks, voters have the chance to decide who should be in charge of Scotland’s Covid recovery – a Scottish Government democratically elected by the people of Scotland, or a Tory government at Westminster that we didn’t vote for led by the likes of Boris Johnson."
Michael Russell, the SNP president, adding: “No one is proposing holding an independence referendum now, but if the people back a post-pandemic referendum in the coming election then democracy must prevail.”
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “Boris Johnson’s Conservatives want to take us back to the old divisive arguments.
“They want us to argue with each other rather than focus on the priorities of the Scottish people – creating jobs, a comeback plan for education and rebuilding our NHS.
“Only Scottish Labour is going into this election with a focus on national recovery and uniting our country.”
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