Tories to accuse Scottish Government of 'having no vision for anything' at party conference in Aberdeen

The Scottish Government will be accused on Friday of “having no vision for anything – except their obsession with breaking up the UK”.

In her speech to the Scottish Conservative conference in Aberdeen, deputy leader Meghan Gallacher will also call for the end of the Bute House Agreement, so that the Scottish Greens are sent back to the “extreme fringes of our politics, where they belong”.

Gallacher will say: “Scotland’s NHS is suffering, as are our schools, economy, roads and justice system.

“Yet the SNP have no vision, no plan, for any of them. The only plans they have produced are plans for their political obsession.

“In less than two years, the SNP have set out 10 plans for an independent Scotland. They are not worth the paper they are written on.

“Remember when the SNP promised that education would be their number one priority? Or that there would be a business reset? Or a ‘new deal for local government’? Expansion of free childcare?

“Empty promises – every single one.

“This is a government that exists for one goal and one goal only – breaking up our country.”

Speaking to Scotland Tonight last month, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said the party have a “real opportunity to close the doors on the SNP’s obsession with independence.

He said his party remains the title challenger to the SNP across many Scottish seats, adding that a win for the Conservatives would show Scots wanted to focus on issues such as the NHS rather than independence.

Ross’ comments came after polls suggest the Scottish Tories could slip into third place behind the SNP and Labour at the next UK ballot, expected sometime this year.

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Alister Jack, the secretary of state of Scotland, will be among those travelling to Aberdeen for the start of the Scottish party conference on Friday.

Labour MP Ian Murray, the shadow Scottish secretary, said: “As Rishi Sunak makes a desperate trip north to rally the fragments of the Scottish Tory party, it is clear that the people of Scotland are ready to boot the Tories out of power for good.

“This chaotic and damaging government offers the people of Scotland nothing but more economic turmoil, incompetence and dangerous political brinkmanship.

“With Rishi Sunak joining Humza Yousaf and the SNP on the campaign trail to protect the enormous excess profits of oil and gas giants, it is clearer than ever that only Scottish Labour can deliver the change we need.

“The age of divisive Tory-SNP politics is over.

“Labour has a plan to put money into your pocket with a proper windfall tax, to make work pay and to deliver 50,000 clean energy jobs in Scotland.

“At the general election Scotland doesn’t just need to send a message about the morally bankrupt Tories and their failures – they can send a Labour government to replace them.”