JACKSON Carlaw will today make every single one of his 57 Scottish Tory candidates sign a special no2indyref2 pledge.
The vow commits new Tory MPs to “respect the clear decision Scotland made in the 2014 referendum to remain in the United Kingdom.”
They’ll also “oppose any attempt by the SNP to take us back to another divisive referendum less than five years after the last one” and “to strengthen Scotland’s place in the United Kingdom, and to ensure the Union works for all of us in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
The interim Tory leader’s stunt is the latest appeal by the party to discontented Unionist Labour voters.
Jeremy Corbyn has ruled out another independence vote before 2022, but last week Carlaw (pictured right), who has previously accused Labour of abandoning the union, went further ruling it out until 2054.
READ MORE: Jackson Carlaw claims indyref2 should not take place until 2054
Announcing the pledge, he said: “We will not allow Nicola Sturgeon to drag us back to the division and uncertainty that caused such damage to our country five years ago.
“We need to move on, not look back.
“Nicola Sturgeon has said she will demand the powers to hold Indyref2 within the next few weeks. She plans to stage the vote next year.
“Jeremy Corbyn is too weak to oppose her. He will happily agree to her demands as the price of the keys to 10 Downing Street. “It speaks volumes that every one of our candidates will be signing the pledge. Not a single Labour candidate would do the same.”
The party have lost two of their candidates in the election race so far, with Glasgow Central’s Flora Scarabello and Aberdeen North’s Ryan Houghton suspended for “unacceptable” comments.
As revealed by this paper, Houghton had made anti-semitic, Islamophobic and homophobic remarks on an internet forum six years ago.
Yesterday, speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland, Carlaw confirmed that Scarabello had been cut off after the party was sent a recording of her saying she had a problem with Islamic people.
He denied the party had a particular problem with vetting candidates, pointing out that both Labour and the SNP have been forced to suspend people. He also said he would “campaign to leave,” in another EU referendum. The former Remain supporter said the EU itself has changed since the 2016 referendum.
He said: “It’s now seeking to create a united army of the European Union by 2025, I can’t support that.
“I believe in other ways, too, the European Union has changed.”
He added: “I believe, having gone through this whole process, what people need is clarity, I don’t believe we can go through another referendum on this or independence without it being corrosive and brutal.
“I think, after three years, people now want the clarity that comes from moving forward and I believe that we will leave the European Union.”
READ MORE: Sturgeon could take legal action to stop Johnson indyref block
The SNP’s Stephen Gethins (below) said: “It’s time for Jackson Carlaw’s spineless Tories to find a backbone and join the SNP in meaningfully opposing Boris Johnson’s disastrous Brexit plans – instead of always rolling over.
“The Scottish Tories must give a cast iron guarantee that they will vote against a catastrophic No-Deal Brexit, which threatens to cause a recession, destroy 100,000 Scottish jobs, and cost every person in the country £2,300 a year.”
Recent polls show the Scottish Tories’ support is increasing, however the SNP remain the favourites in December’s General Election.
Scottish LibDem election campaign chairman Alex Cole-Hamilton accused Carlaw of “arch political cowardice.”
He then added: “What’s truly corrosive to our democracy is that politicians like Jackson Carlaw are putting their loyalty to Boris Johnson’s Conservative party, ahead of all the people of this country.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel