'SNP want to set Scots against the English', Rishi Sunak says

The Prime Minister took aim at the “nationalists” during a brief visit to the Scottish Tory conference to give what the SNP have dubbed a “blink and you'd miss it” speech.

Addressing Tory delegates at the P+J Live Arena before the scheduled George Michael tribute act, Sunak trumpeted what he sees as the achievements of his Conservative Party over the last 14 years in power.

He said: “With inflation now halved, our economic policy can change gears. We’ve already provided a UK wide, £9 billion tax cut for workers across the country.

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“And we have cut taxes for businesses. For business investment to the tune off £11bn.

“So the choice before the country is a clear one: stick to our plan that’s starting to deliver the change that people want to see, or go back to square one with Labour.

“But here in Scotland, the choice is even more stark. If Labour would take the UK back to square one, the SNP would take Scotland back literally 300 years.”

The Prime Minister also took aim at the SNP with a forced quip on the disastrous Willy Wonka experience which has made global headlines.

He said: “I recently saw the news of an experience in Glasgow leaving customers unhappy, demanding refunds, I thought the parallels with the SNP are anything but wonky.”

Sunak urged Unionist voters to unite behind his Conservative party at the next General Election, saying: “As has been shown at every General Election over the past decade the strongest vote you can cast against the SNP is a vote for the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party.

“That is the best way to end the SNP monopoly, put the constitutional debate to bed, and get Scotland moving again.”

He added: “The United Kingdom is a great country. We are the most successful multi-ethnic, multi-faith, multi-national democracy on earth, and conference, I will defend that every day that I am in office.

“I will have no truck with the nationalist desire to set Scot against Scot, and Scots against the English. I know we are stronger together.”

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Responding to the speech, which ran to just under 1500 words, the SNP said Sunak should have instead apologised to Scotland for the chaos his party has unleashed.

Stephen Flynn, the party’s group leader at Westminster, said: "The Tories have trashed the UK economy, slashed Scotland's budget and sent the cost of living soaring.

“Rishi Sunak should have used his flying visit to apologise to families across Scotland who are skint and scunnered as a result of his government's appalling record of failure.

"With a General Election in sight, voting SNP is the way to make Scotland Tory-free at this election – and the way to get rid of unelected Tory governments for good with independence.

“Unlike Sunak and Keir Starmer, a strong team of SNP MPs will stand up for Scotland's values, demand investment in the NHS, prioritise help with the cost of living, and defend Scotland's right to choose our future."

The Scottish Greens had also called for the Tories to apologise to Scotland as they opened their conference.

The party’s economy spokesperson, Maggie Chapman MSP, said: “They have given us a Brexit that they all know is a disaster, costing jobs, hiking prices and curbing our rights to live and travel in 27 other countries.

“They have given us the car crash of Trussonomics, which we are all still paying for. And they have given us a cost of living crisis, with bills and inflation hugely outstripping wages.

“If they have any contrition or dignity then they must open with a full and frank apology for the human cost and the pain they have inflicted.”