Yousaf to pitch for ‘Tory-free Scotland’ at SNP election campaign launch

Humza Yousaf will launch the SNP’s general election campaign on Friday, saying his party can defeat the sitting Scottish Conservative MPs to create a “Tory-free Scotland”.

At an event in Glasgow, he will say his party can win all the Scottish seats the Tories took in 2019.

He is expected to be joined by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and address an audience of party candidates, activists and supporters.

Last year, the SNP conference backed the First Minister’s motion calling for immediate negotiations with Westminster “to give democratic effect to Scotland becoming an independent country” if the party wins a majority of seats north of the border.

In his speech on Friday, Mr Yousaf will attack Brexit and its impact on the Scottish economy, saying only his party will ensure Scotland’s voice is heard at Westminster.

Stephen Flynn will join the First Minister to launch the party’s campaign (Jane Barlow/PA)

Polling analysts have said the SNP faces a challenge from Labour north of the border, and in October the pro-independence party lost a by-election race in Rutherglen and Hamilton West.

At the last general election, the SNP won 48 out of 59 Scottish seats.

Mr Yousaf is expected to say: “The first step we take towards a brighter future must be to kick the Tories out.

“Let’s be absolutely clear here: Rishi Sunak is finished. The Tories are done – thank goodness.

“The damage they have caused to Scotland is unforgivable and this year we must take the opportunity to kick them out of Scotland completely.

“The SNP is by far the best-placed party to do that.

“In every Tory-held seat in Scotland, we are the party in second place.

Mr Yousaf will say Scotland can become ‘Tory-free’ (Andrew Milligan/PA)

“Today I am setting an ambition for the SNP to wipe the Tories from Scotland’s electoral map by winning all six of those Tory seats.

“That is a big ask, but I don’t believe you go into elections unless you are willing to be ambitious.

“It’s also the case that in more than half of the SNP-held seats, it is the Tories who are in second place.

“So, to people right across the country, our message will be very clear: vote SNP for a Tory-free Scotland.”

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: “The Scottish public are sick and tired of the independence-obsessed SNP ignoring their real priorities, such as the economy and Scotland’s ailing public services, and trying to turn the next election into a de facto referendum on separation.

“Voters know that the only way to shift the focus on to the issues that matter to them – and shut the door on Humza Yousaf’s independence plan for good – is to unseat SNP MPs.

“As Humza Yousaf points out, in swathes of constituencies across the country, only the Scottish Conservatives can do that.”

Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: “While the SNP is posturing about kicking the Tories out of Scotland, Labour is getting ready to kick them out of government.

“The SNP is desperately scrambling for relevance at the next election but voters face a straightforward choice – more chaos and decline with a Tory government or a fresh start with a Labour one.

“Only Labour can deliver the change Scotland needs – helping people with the cost-of-living crisis and restoring our public services.”