SNP accused of 'desperate ploy' after appeal to Labour and Lib Dem voters

SNP’s Stephen Flynn said voting for the party is the only way to beat the Tories in Scotland

The SNP's Stephen Flynn

The SNP has been accused of a “desperate ploy” after appealing to Labour and Liberal Democrat voters to back the party at the next general election to “lock the Tories out of Scotland”.

The party said it is the main competitor in every Conservative-held seat in Scotland, and the incumbent in all Tory target seats.

It comes after the Tories lost more than 1,000 councillors in the local elections in England. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party is on course to win the next general election. It is targeting up to 20 seats in Scotland as it hopes to capitalise on the crisis engulfing the SNP.

But SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said voting for Labour or the Lib Dems is a “wasted vote that risks letting the Tories in the back door”.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: "As they watch their own vote share collapse, it is no surprise that the SNP has turned to such a desperate ploy. This is a move from a party that is mired in scandal, out of touch with Scotland and scared for the next general election. Only Labour can boot the Tories out across the entire UK and deliver the change that people in Scotland need."

Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine said: “This smacks of desperation from Stephen Flynn who can see the writing on the wall for the Nationalists.”

The SNP said it more than halved the number of Tory seats in Scotland in 2019. The party believes it can "finish the job" if enough Labour and Lib Dem supporters vote tactically for it.

The six Tory-held seats in Scotland include Moray, the constituency of Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross. In 2019, Mr Ross won the seat with a reduced majority of just 513 votes, with 22,112 compared to the SNP's 21,599. Labour came a distant third with 2,432 votes.

Mr Flynn said: "Voting SNP is the only way to beat the Tories in Scotland at the next general election – and a strong team of SNP MPs can ensure Scotland holds the balance of power at Westminster.

"The SNP is the main competitor in every Tory-held seat, and the incumbent in every target seat – so a vote for the Labour Party or the Liberal Democrats is a wasted vote that risks letting the Tories in the back door, just like it did last time. In 2019, the SNP halved the number of Tory seats in Scotland – and at this election we can finish the job but only if enough Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters lend the SNP their votes.

"By voting SNP, we can lock the Tories out of Scotland at this election – and rid ourselves of Westminster Tory governments for good with independence."

Scottish Conservative party chairman Craig Hoy MSP said: "The SNP have cottoned on to what Scotland’s voters already know – that the Scottish Conservatives are the only credible threat to the nationalists in a large number of seats up and down Scotland. Only we can keep them out in numerous Westminster constituencies – not Labour or the Lib Dems."