Douglas Ross tells Tory convention that Humza Yousaf’s coalition with Greens is a hazard to Scotland

HUMZA Yousaf is a ‘hazard to Scotland’ due to his alliance with the ‘extremist’ Greens, in line with the chief of the Scottish Conservatives.

Douglas Ross yesterday launched a strongly-worded assault on the First Minister, saying his technique for breaking apart Britain is much more rash, irresponsible and hasty than Nicola Sturgeon’s and that his coalition with the Greens might ‘drive Scotland to catastrophe’.

He vowed to again Scotland’s drivers and communicate up for individuals who have been ‘forgotten’ by the SNP, and introduced a basic election pledge to make sure that two key roads are totally dualled as quickly as attainable: the A9 between Perth and Inverness and the A96, which hyperlinks Aberdeen and Inverness.

He even advised that he would assist the UK Government stepping in and guaranteeing that the funding lastly occurs if the SNP/Inexperienced Authorities fails to get on with the job.

Douglas Ross declared the SNP/Inexperienced coalition a hazard to Scotland

In a speech to the Conservative convention in Manchester, which fires the beginning gun on the get together’s campaigning forward of the final election, Mr Ross mentioned: ‘No get together standing up for almost all of Scots would put Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater into authorities.

‘But the SNP are so obsessive about independence they’re prepared to disregard all of it, and their excessive insurance policies and failures in workplace.

‘And that’s why Humza Yousaf is a hazard to Scotland. He has realized from the empty bluster of Salmond and the false faces of Sturgeon.

‘We name him ineffective however really he’s reckless, and he’s actually extra reckless than Nicola Sturgeon.’

Mr Ross’s blistering speech got here as:

•  Scottish Secretary Alister Jack accused the SNP of looking for to ‘undermine’ devolution;
•  Mr Ross mentioned he has no points with Tory MSP Maurice Golden voting in opposition to the get together;
•  The Prime Minister mocked the SNP’s monetary issues and pledged to guard Scottish jobs within the North Sea;
•  Jeremy Hunt is ready to launch a crackdown on profit claimants who refuse to search for a job;
• The Conservatives will announce a ban on smartphones in colleges in England.

Mr Ross mentioned that Mr Yousaf’s technique for independence – which features a pledge to assert a mandate for tearing Scotland out of the UK if the SNP wins extra Scottish seats than different events in a basic election – is ‘extra rash, irresponsible and hasty than even Sturgeon was at her worst’.

He claimed Ms Sturgeon would have dismissed his plan as ‘too far’, and added: ‘He has the conceitedness to attempt to break up up Scotland with the smarmy grin, the misplaced bravado, and he thinks he can do it. However the one factor he’s actually able to is harm. He might drive Scotland to catastrophe if we’re not cautious.

‘Humza Yousaf has rebranded the SNP as an even bigger model of the extremist Greens.’

He mentioned the Bute Home Settlement has made the SNP grow to be ‘a nastier, extra bitter and divisive drive’.

Ross declared Humza as an even bigger model of the extremist Greens, whereas saying that no get together standing up for majority of Scots would have put Patrick Harvie into authorities

Setting out a key theme for his basic election marketing campaign, Mr Ross mentioned his get together wants ‘to ship a robust sign to the SNP Authorities to desert their independence obsession, abandon their alliance with the intense Greens, and to concentrate on the actual priorities of forgotten Scotland’.

Mr Ross mentioned the Scottish Tory manifesto for the election, which might occur subsequent spring, will embrace a dedication to completely twin the A9 and A96 ‘as quickly as attainable’ – after the SNP did not ship on its pledges on each roads.

He claimed Mr Yousaf’s solely priorities are ‘in his personal yard’, within the Central Belt and claimed the A9 has been sacrificed as a result of it’s additional away from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Mr Ross mentioned: ‘Final 12 months deaths on that highway reached the best degree in over a decade, and deaths on the sections nonetheless to be upgraded have been thrice increased than the already dualled components of the highway.

‘There is no such thing as a manner that might be allowed to occur on the M8, but as a result of this considerations the north of the nation it’s repeatedly moved down the precedence record.’

He mentioned it’s a ‘complete shame’ that work on the A9 and different key roads exterior the Central Belt have been delayed, and claimed the SNP ‘would far quite convey the anti-driver Greens into authorities than defend lives on harmful roads’.

Opposing plans to cut back automotive use by 20 per cent, he accused Mr Yousaf of ‘deceptive individuals’ about how a lot his internet zero targets will price, and accused him of being ‘sleekit and deceitful’ concerning the influence on households.

He mentioned: ‘The Scottish Conservatives will all the time again drivers. That’s why, in contrast to the independence-obsessed SNP, the very first pledge in our 2024 manifesto will probably be to completely twin the A9 to Inverness, and the A96, as quickly as attainable.

‘The place the SNP have did not ship on its guarantees for the north of Scotland, our Scottish Conservative promise will probably be forged iron – no ifs, no buts.

‘We are going to make dualling the A9 and A96 and upgrading different main roads our prime infrastructure precedence.’

Requested if his announcement meant the UK Authorities would intervene, Mr Ross mentioned it already has agreed to offer levelling up funding for a ferry to the Honest Isle and that it may possibly add ‘stress’ on the SNP to ship.

Requested if the UK Authorities would think about bypassing Holyrood on funding to improve the A9 and A96 prefer it has finished on council funding, Mr Ross mentioned: ‘I feel you all the time have to take a look at that however in the end transport is devolved to the Scottish Authorities and this can be a failure of the Scottish Authorities to ship on their promise.’

Nationalist MSP Rona Mackay final evening defended her get together’s document in authorities.

She mentioned: ‘The SNP has a robust monitor document in delivering for communities proper throughout Scotland – from rolling out game-changing household and baby advantages, to overseeing document staffing in our NHS, and supporting our farmers, crofters and agriculture sector. In distinction, the Tories at Westminster have ignored Scotland’s pursuits for many years; dragging us out of the EU in opposition to our will, short-changing the Scottish Authorities at each flip, and trying an influence seize on our Scottish parliament by bypassing devolution.

On the convention Ross mentioned that dualling the A9 was a precedence

‘With independence, Scotland will get the governments we vote for – and we won’t be pressured to pay the value of Tory financial mismanagement and incompetence.’

Scottish Greens structure spokesman Ross Greer mentioned: ‘When will Douglas Ross take accountability for his position within the choices which led to meals costs, power payments and mortgage funds skyrocketing?

‘His obedient assist of Boris Johnson’s shambolic Brexit after which for the financial disaster of Liz Truss has left a whole lot of 1000’s of Scottish households struggling to pay their payments.

‘Over a 12 months because the disastrous Truss “mini-budget”, the individuals of Scotland are nonetheless feeling the implications. That degree of financial harm in such a brief time period would have been inconceivable with out the assist and cheerleading of her Tory colleagues like Douglas Ross.’