Douglas Ross targeted First Minister John Swinney’s backyard today as he officially launched the Scottish Tory election campaign in Perth.
The Conservative leader was in the SNP leader’s home patch, a target seat, as he seeks to capitalise on anger surrounding the Michael Matheson scandal.
Mr Swinney’s own campaign has been overshadowed by his defence of the former health secretary, who tried to charge an £11,000 bill on his parliamentary iPad to the taxpayer.
Mr Ross was joined by local Perth and Kinross-shire candidate Luke Graham, a former MP who lost his old seat in 2019. He hopes to claim a significant victory on July 4 by defeating Pete Wishart, the SNP’s longest-serving Westminster politician.
Mr Wishart – a close ally of the first minister – has held the seat for the nationalists since 2001, but clung on against the Tories by a mere 21 votes in the 2017 election.
Mr Ross said the election on July 4 is a chance to inflict a “once-in-a-generation” defeat on the nationalists.
“We’re here in John Swinney’s back yard to put him on notice that the Scottish Conservatives are coming for SNP seats like this one,” he said.
Mr Ross has already been to Mr Matheson’s constituency to capitalise on any voter anger.
“In any other line of work, Michael Matheson would lose his job,” he added.
John Swinney defends Michael Matheson
The row blew up the day after the election campaign began last week.
The SNP leader launched an unexpected defence of his friend in Holyrood, refusing to back a recommended 57-day suspension from parliament.
The Scottish Tories will push for Mr Matheson’s resignation from Holyrood this week in a bid to force him to resign as an MP and trigger a by-election.
But it’s also been a difficult few days since the election was called for the Scottish Tories.
The prime minister came to Scotland last Thursday – visiting a Highland constituency where the party did not even have a candidate in place.
As of Thursday the Tories had only filled 42 of the 57 seats in Scotland, even though it was their only party leader who called the election.
The Tories also became embroiled in another row over a controversial policy to bring back National Service, which quickly unravelled within hours.
First Minister Mr Swinney hit Dumfries, part of a Conservative stronghold, on Monday as the election contest heats up.
He said: “Right across the country, if people want to get rid of the Conservatives, the SNP is the best vehicle to do that.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will be canvassing for support in East Renfrewshire today with local candidate Blair McDougall, who headed up the pro-UK Better Together campaign in 2014.
And Alba Party leader Alex Salmond is eyeing Yes-voting Dundee’s spirit of 2014 as he blasted the SNP’s independence strategy.
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