PM: Sturgeon is wrong on ‘big issues of our time’

Prime Minister David Cameron speaks with Jo White, and Lilli Docherty with her daughter Dakota, as he has lunch with people who have benefited from tax and pension changes in Poole, England. Picture: Getty

The SNP leader’s vision on an independent Scotland, as well as her economic plan to borrow more, were dismissed by the Tory leader who was in the Scottish capital this morning as part of a whistle-stop tour of all four home nations.

He hit out at the recent leak of a confidential civil service memo which suggested Ms Sturgeon wanted to see him returned as Prime Minister - which she strenuously denies.

And a Tory revival in Scotland was suggested by Mr Cameron as they capitalise on the Liberal Democrat collapse north of the border.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon: 'Wrong on the big issues'. Picture: Getty

“Clearly the election here in Scotland is crucial and we have a very clear message which is if you want a non-Socialist alternative to the SNP, there is only one choice and that is the Conservatives led by Ruth Davidson.”

He said the prospect of Ed Miliband in Downing Street with a Labour majority, or propped up the by the SNP, will mean more “taxes, spending and debt” for Scots.

“Nicola Sturgeon wants two things. She wants to break up the United Kingdom - we’re totally opposed to that,” the Prime Minister added.

“And she wants more borrowing, more spending, more taxes, more debt and I totally oppose that.

“I think she’s wrong on the two big questions of our time.

“That’s why we’re not only fighting a strong campaign here, but we’re also warning of the danger of this alliance, potentially, between the people who want to bankrupt Britain and the people who want to break up Britain.

“The only way to avoid that is a Conservative majority government.”

He described Ms Sturgeon’s plan for more borrowing to ease the impact of a fresh wave of austerity cuts as “a pretty chilling prospect.”

Labour leader Ed Miliband should be clearer about the prospect of working with the SNP after the election, Mr Cameron added.

“At the moment he’s failing to speak out because he’s quite happy to ride into Downing Street on their coat tails,” the Tory leader said.

And despite polls at the weekend suggesting the Tories could lose their solitary Scottish seat in the Borders, Mr Cameron insisted he had no “second choice” among the other parties north of the border.

The Liberal Democrats’ are poised to be “knocked out the park” in the forthcoming vote, which could offer hope for the Tories.

“They’re effectively losing their deposits across Scotland if you look at the recent polls,” Mr Cameron said.

“For all those people in Scotland who want a non-Socialist alternative, but not to break up the United Kingdom, there is only one choice and that’s a Conservative Government.

“All those people who back enterprise, who back families, who want to keep on with this incredible job creation record where there are 174,000 more people in work in Scotland than when I became Prime Minister, if you want to keep all of that there’s only one choice. All the other choices lead in a different direction.”

He added; “I think there’s a fear across the United Kingdom that we could scrap the plan that’s working.”

UK Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood has ordered an inquiry into how a memo - which claims that Ms Sturgeon told French ambassador Sylvie Bermann that she would prefer to see Conservatives remain in power after the 7 May poll - got into the public domain.

“I didn’t see this document,” the Prime Minister said.

“I abhor the leaking of documents. We need to be able to have private diplomatic conversations.

“There’s a proper leak inquiry going on and I want to get to the bottom of. This is not acceptable.”