Douglas Ross will today urge voters to use the upcoming General Election to reject Humza Yousaf’s “flawed” Hate Crime Act by rallying behind the Scottish Conservatives.
During a campaign visit to a key election battleground – Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber – the Scottish Conservative leader will point out that in numerous constituencies across Scotland it’s a straight fight between his party and the SNP.
In swathes of seats, as Humza Yousaf himself admitted, the Scottish Conservatives are either the incumbents or the only party within touching distance of – and in a position to beat – the SNP.
Mr Ross will join the Scottish Conservative candidate for Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber, Amanda Hampsey, on the campaign trail today and tomorrow.
He will remind voters that the Scottish Conservatives were the only party to oppose Humza Yousaf’s Hate Crime Act – and that the election of more MPs from the party is key to seeing off both it and the First Minister.
He will also launch a scathing attack on the SNP’s ferries fiasco which continues to take a huge toll on thousands of people living in Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber.
On the General Election, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross will say: “This election is a chance for voters to send a message to Humza Yousaf that they reject his flawed Hate Crime Act.
“The best way to do that is to vote Scottish Conservative, the only party to oppose it, so we can beat the SNP in the many seats where it’s a straight fight between us and Humza Yousaf’s candidate.
“Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber is a perfect example of why voters need to get behind the Scottish Conservatives in key seats to beat the SNP.
“At the last election we were just 4,000 votes behind the SNP candidate, yet 10,000 voters backed the Liberal Democrats and Labour in third and fourth place.
“This time, if those voters get behind the Scottish Conservatives and our great local candidate Amanda Hampsey, we can win and ensure that Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber has an MP focused on the priorities of their constituents, not pushing Humza Yousaf’s independence obsession.
“But it is not just in Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber; in seats right across Scotland from the Borders to the North, it is only the Scottish Conservatives who can beat the SNP.
“In this year’s election, if voters get behind our candidates, then together we can not just defeat the SNP locally but also show Humza Yousaf the door.”
On the Hate Crime Act itself, Douglas Ross will say: “Almost every warning that we made to Humza Yousaf about his flawed Hate Crime Act has come to pass.
“The Hate Crime Act is draining police resources at a time when they can least afford it and undermining Scotland’s reputation on free speech.
“The public are increasingly turning against Humza Yousaf’s illiberal and damaging Act. The only winners are the perpetrators of real crimes that the police no longer have the manpower to investigate.
“This is entirely a problem of Humza Yousaf’s making. He needs to accept that his Hate Crime Act is not fit for purpose and scrap it immediately.”
On Tuesday’s launch of the Glen Rosa, he will say: “The launch of the Glen Rosa should not be the cause of any celebration.
“Four times over budget and more than six years late, this is one of the greatest procurement disasters in Scotland’s history.
“The SNP Government have run Scottish civilian shipbuilding aground.
“All the while, vital island communities – including many in Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber – have had to suffer years of delays and service breakdowns, which have devastated local livelihoods.”