Sir Ed Davey calls for Scottish Nationalists and Tories to stop ‘never-ending constitutional war’

Sir Ed Davey has called for Scottish Nationalists and the Tories to stop its “never-ending constitutional war”.

The Lib Dem leader will today tell his party’s virtual spring Scottish conference that politicians must learn from the work and sacrifices of NHS staff and community activists.

Appearing virtually, Sir Ed is expected to call for people to worth together rather than “slugging it out”.

He is expected to say: "When I talk to voters, it’s not constitutional affairs that are on their mind —it’s the state of the care service, their daughter’s job, their brother’s operation.

“People have had enough of all the arguments over the constitution and they want to put the recovery first.

"Throughout this pandemic the Liberal Democrats have worked with others. It is in our nature. We worked hard to deliver extra business support, testing and a faster vaccine programme.

"Too often, Scotland’s two governments have used the pandemic as fuel in their never-ending constitutional war.

“Boris Johnson is hoping that you will forget that we’re only in lockdown three because he made such a mess of the first two.

“And Nicola Sturgeon is hoping that you’ll forget the flames of internal party warfare barely concealed beneath the surface of the SNP."

The Kingston and Surbiton MP suggest the bickering over independence was a failure of leadership, saying “the job of true leaders [is] to bring people together, not push them further apart”.

He added: “I wish they could take a lesson from the selfless community activists who have pulled together.

“Neighbours bringing food and medicines to those who are shielding or self-isolating.

“The NHS staff who have kept calm and carried on in the face of grave horrors.

"Instead, people are being offered a Scottish Conservative party in the pocket of Boris Johnson’s Vote Leave cronies or a Scottish Nationalist party that will put another independence referendum before the recovery from the pandemic.”

The party’s conference starts tomorrow, and will feature debates on mental health, adult social care and the Scottish economy.

Polling for Holyrood's election currently predicts the Lib Dems gaining one MSP, giving them a total of six.

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