Douglas Ross: Tories 'emphatically' reject Scottish leader's Labour vote call

The Conservative enactment has rejected a proposition from its person successful Scotland that voters could tactically backmost Labour to oust the SNP.

ISpeaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Douglas Ross said "where determination is the strongest campaigner to bushed the SNP, you get down that candidate."

It would beryllium a lawsuit of parties doing "what's champion for the country", helium said.

"This is emphatically not the presumption of the Conservative Party," a Tory spokesperson said.

"We privation radical to ballot for Conservative candidates wherever they are lasting arsenic that's the champion mode to support Labour and the SNP out."

In galore seats successful Scotland, it volition beryllium Labour oregon the Lib Dems who are seen arsenic the astir apt challengers to the SNP astatine the adjacent wide election.

While section assembly elections are taking spot crossed much of England and Northern Ireland successful May, nary seats are up for grabs successful Scotland oregon Wales.

The adjacent wide predetermination indispensable instrumentality spot connected oregon earlier 28 January 2025, but it is wide expected that 1 volition beryllium held successful the weeks oregon months earlier this date.

In his interview, Mr Ross said: "The nationalist cognize however to tactically ballot successful Scotland.

"I volition ever promote Scottish Conservative voters to ballot Scottish Conservatives, but I deliberation mostly the nationalist tin spot and they privation the parties to judge that wherever determination is simply a strongest campaigner to bushed the SNP you get down that candidate.

"If parties possibly look beyond their ain constrictive enactment docket and bash what's champion for the state and for maine arsenic Scottish Conservative person what would beryllium champion is if we spot this grip that the SNP person connected Scotland astatine the infinitesimal is loosened."

It is not the archetypal clip Douglas Ross and Scottish Conservatives person breached with the main enactment line.

In January past year, the Scottish person said the presumption of the past Prime Minister Boris Johnson was "no longer tenable" aft Mr Johnson admitted attending a Downing Street enactment during lockdown.

Mr Ross aboriginal rowed backmost connected this presumption pursuing Russia's penetration of Ukraine.

Mr Ross's remarks travel astatine a clip of situation for the SNP successful the aftermath of Nicola Sturgeon's resignation arsenic archetypal curate and enactment leader, and the apprehension of her hubby Peter Murrell.

Mr Murrell, the erstwhile SNP main enforcement has been questioned implicit the party's finances. He has since been released without complaint pending further investigation.

In her archetypal nationalist comments since the apprehension connected Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon said she would "fully cooperate" with the constabulary if they inquire to interrogation her.

"I haven't, but I volition afloat cooperate with the constabulary arsenic and erstwhile they petition that, if so they do," she told reporters extracurricular her Glasgow home, erstwhile taking questions aft giving a little statement.