RUTH Davidson has been accused of flouting public health guidance by campaigning outside the local authority where she lives.
The MSP for Edinburgh Central, whose home in the capital, appeared on social media earlier this week helping Tory candidate Oliver Mundell who is standing in Dumfriesshire.
She tweeted a picture of herself alongside Mundell and his father former Scottish Secretary David Mundell, adding: “Great to be out with Oliver Mundell and David Mundell across Annan and Moffat today. #TeamTory.”
However, guidance for political parties and activists published by the Scottish Government in March 11 and updated on April 16 states: “Campaigning activity not permitted: Some other traditional campaigning activities such as street stalls and physical hustings cannot take place at any point.
READ MORE: PMQs: Ian Blackford warned by Speaker after asking Boris Johnson if he's a liar
“Campaigners should operate only in the local authority area in which they live. This applies even if the constituency or region in which the candidate or candidates on whose behalf they are campaigning straddles local authority boundaries. An exception to this rule is for candidates, agents, party leaders and their support staff.”
Davidson stepped down as Scottish Conservative leader in 2019 and was succeeded first by Jackson Carlaw and then by current leader Douglas Ross.
She is not a candidate in the election next Thursday as she is standing down from Holyrood and standing up a seat in the House of Lords as Baroness Davidson.
Polls suggest that the Tories will remain the second biggest party in Holyrood after the election on May 6, but their campaign has been hit by the sleaze allegations surrounding Downing Street and comments allegedly made by Boris Johnson that he would “rather see bodies pile up in their thousands” than order a new lockdown. He has strongly denied making the remark.
Ahead of the 2016 EU referendum, Davidson, a Remain advocate, was a stern critic of Brexiteer Johnson, who is regarded by many Scots as a toxic politician – with the Scottish Conservatives even at one point launching a campaign to stop him becoming leader.
READ MORE: Holyrood election: Douglas Ross replaced by Ruth Davidson on front of leaflet
However, in the last few years Davidson has refrained from criticising Johnson and there has been speculation she may well before long land a role in the Conservative government.
An SNP spokesman said: “Baroness Davidson is not a party leader so she should not be campaigning outside her area and risking spreading the virus during the pandemic.
“In fact, she is not even a candidate who is prepared to face the electorate. Instead, she is scuttling off to a cushy seat in the unelected House Of Lords to try to shore up Boris Johnson’s sleaze-ridden calamity of a government.
“This is quite the reverse ferret for Baroness Davidson, who launched and led Operation Arse to try to keep Johnson out of Number 10.
“Now she is dodging the scrutiny of the voters while she trousers £350 a day to work for a Prime Minister she considered unfit for the job.
“The Baroness will need to spend some of her Lords cash on a clothes peg for her nose to help mask the overpowering stench of sleaze coming from her own party.”
Responding to The National, a Scottish Conservative spokesman said because she is Tory leader at Holyrood she is allowed to campaign.
The spokesman said: “An exception to this rule is for candidates, agents, party leaders and their support staff (as set out above).”
Oliver Mundell won the Dumfriesshire constituency in 2016 with a majority of 1230 votes over the SNP’s Joan McAlpine. It is a key SNP/ Tory election battleground with McAlpine hoping to oust Mundell next week.
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