SNP so scandal ridden they are ‘beginning to look like Tories’, Lib Dem leader claims

The SNP are so scandal ridden they are “beginning to look like the Tories”, the Lib Dem leader has claimed.

Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey

Sir Ed Davey suggested the party was in constant “crisis”, following the police investigation, missing money, auditors resigning, row over membership numbers, and the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon.

Speaking to Scotland on Sunday, the Kingston and Surbiton MP also questioned the upcoming court battle over the UK Government blocking Gender Recognition Reform, instead calling for both sides to work together to deliver a version of it.

Currently campaigning in the local elections in England, Sir Ed claimed the developments in the SNP had made the Lib Dems prospects in Scotland more promising.He said: “I think the SNP are beginning to look like the Conservatives, lurching from crisis to crisis. As the NHS fails, as businesses and families are feeling the pain of the cost of living crisis.

"The SNP look out of touch, they look divided, like the Conservatives, they’re scandal ridden, like the Conservatives.“I think north of the border, the SNP are behaving like the the Tories are south of the border. You also have the sense they are tired. They don’t seem to have a vision, just like the Conservatives.

“This is the problem with the SNP, they try and be all things to all people, say they are progressive then you see that quite large chunks of the SNP are far from progressive. When it comes to ideas about how you govern a country, organise a health service or police or schools, they’ve got no real sense of values.”

Sir Ed also attacked Humza Yousaf’s record, saying it was so poor the Lib Dems now felt confident in areas they had never won in before.

He explained: “The new leader doesn’t have the greatest of track records. On an issue as big as the NHS, when he was Health Secretary, he had a pretty shocking record. Everything from A&E waits to a general lack of progress in the NHS in Scotland.

“We want to build on the local elections that we had last year where we had more gains than any opposition party, and Alex Cole-Hamilton has this general target about expanding in areas that we previously haven’t.

"What has happened with the SNP leadership frankly gives us more encouragement that it’s the right strategy to be really ambitious.”

Speaking after the new First Minister confirmed plans to challenge the use of a section 35 order over Gender Recognition Reform, Sir Ed called for all parties to work together to deliver reform in Scotland.

He said: “All the Lib Dem MSPs voted for the legislation, there’s agreement cross party, Tory MSPs voted for it.

“The SNP Government and Humza wants to take it to the courts, but my view would be to have a calm, measured approach where you speak to the Tories and say ‘can we get some agreement on this?’

“The Secretary of State for Scotland did actually say that this form of gender recognition is not acceptable to him, but that implies that there must be some form. So why not get around the table, and even go cross-party with it.

“We should not be political point scoring, we should be focusing on getting the protections and rights that people should have.

“I just worry that it’s being used as part of a battle in independence and so on. Given trans people are vulnerable people, they’re marginalised, the best way to ensure their rights are properly protected and improved is getting a cross-party consensus.”

Sir Ed also criticised Labour’s attack ads, the first of which accused Rishi Sunak of not wanting child sex abusers to go to prison.

The Lib Dem leader insisted he would not have signed off on them, and there was a right and wrong way to hold people to account.

He said: “Hold them to account, but personal attacks on sensitive issues just damages our politics.

“I don’t think the public seriously believe any party doesn’t want to do anything other than protect children, and be as tough as we can on the perpertrators of these appalling crimes.

“I think it’s the wrong thing to do, we are holding the Government to account on crime, the biggest issue being the lack of police.”

The former Energy Secretary also called for a change in approach on housing, following the Prime Minister saying no Tory members, councillors or activists have ever supported house building targets.

Sir Ed explained: “I think the real way to sort it out is to change the planning process. At the moment we have a very developer first process, rather than what I would call a community-led process.“If you bring the community along with you, you can actually get more houses built. If you have a developer focused approach, you tend to get the wrong houses in the wrong places.“I just fear the Conservative approach tends to be executive homes that aren’t where public transport is the jobs are. We want to reform the system to allow particuarly more council houses and more affordable houses to be built, and in a much greater number.”

The SNP has been approached for comment.