THERE are now 12 Tory MPs in the running to be Prime Minister – handily, the SNP has put together a dossier which reveals every candidate to have a history of right-wing views, ill-judged remarks and embarrassing blunders.
SNP MP for Aberdeen North Kirsty Blackman says that every one of the contenders is “mired in controversy” and that “Scotland deserves better”.
Details of the documents include, but are not limited to:
- Home Secretary Sajid Javid describing Scottish devolution as “nothing short of constitutional vandalism”. Javid has been the subject of a Twitter storm of late, after posting that if he were to become PM, he “won’t allow” indyref2.
- Esther McVey describing the rise of foodbanks in the UK as “positive” and “expected”.
- Mark Harper’s resignation as immigration minister after it emerged his own cleaner didn’t have the right to work in the UK.
- Jeremy Hunt’s forced apology for suggesting that the Hillsborough disaster was influenced by “hooliganism”.
- Full details of Boris Johnson’s infamous comment that “a pound spent in Croydon… will generate far more for the rest of the economy than a pound spent in Strathclyde”.
Johnson is the clear favourite to be the next PM, ahead of former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab.
Blackman, commenting on the dossier, said: “From Islamophobia to sexism, from expenses scandals to worker’s rights, the views of these Tory leader hopefuls will spark concern with voters in Scotland and across the UK.
“Scotland deserves better than this group of embarrassing, incompetent Tories – it’s time for Scotland to decide our own future.”
The dossier follows the publication of legislation that could enable indyref2, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying another vote before 2021 would give Scotland the opportunity to avoid having “a Brexit future imposed upon us”.
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