THE Scottish Conservatives have said they intend to use Kate Forbes's attacks on the SNP government's record in their next party political broadcast.

The party wrote to the SNP leadership hopeful on Monday praising her excoriating criticisms of Humza Yousaf during the STV leadership debate as “spot on”.

The letter said: “We applaud your statement that, on the SNP’s watch, ‘the trains never run on time, the police service is stretched to breaking point and there’s record waiting times in the NHS.’

“Such honesty is to be commended. We welcome it whole-heartedly. As Scotland’s main opposition party, we have been pointing out the very problems you raised for many years.

READ MORE: Kate Forbes says she will be the first minister to lead Scotland to independence

“Unfortunately, until you broke ranks, nobody in your party was willing to accept that the SNP Government that you are a part of has been a disaster for Scotland’s public services.

“We admire your truthful assessment so much that we would be pleased to feature it in our next party political broadcast on the BBC and STV.”

The letter went on: “We think your scathing judgement deserves to be seen by every voter in Scotland, as often as possible.

“Since your criticism of the SNP’s record was delivered with such enthusiasm, we assume that won’t be a problem, but we thought it best to give you a heads up anyway.”

It was signed on behalf of “everyone in the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party”.

The party’s chair, Craig Hoy, said: “By trashing her own party, the Finance Secretary has provided us with great material for our next party political broadcast as well as future election literature. 

“The only flaw – from her own perspective – in Kate Forbes’s candid comments is that the criticisms she makes apply equally to her too. 

“After Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney, she is the most senior minister in the SNP Government, so she has to own the failings she has highlighted. 

“Kate Forbes may be trying to portray herself as the change candidate, but she is no outsider. Her fingerprints are over the SNP’s dire record just as much as Humza Yousaf’s are.” 

Forbes has previously defended her "robust" debating tactics during the stormy STV debate. 

READ MORE: SNP leadership candidates answer Business for Scotland's key questions

She told reporters last week: “If we cannot have that robust exchange about what’s working – and we can’t have the honesty about what’s not working – then I don’t think we are serving either SNP members or the wider public.

“I think last night you will have heard that healthy exchange from all candidates. I don’t think anyone was standing there to say that there aren’t some things that need to be changed, perhaps it’s just a question of degree.”

The National has approached Forbes for comment.