THE SNP have said the Tories' treatment of their own former minister David Duguid is “indefensible” after he was blocked from standing in order for Douglas Ross to run in his constituency.
Speaking at a last-minute press conference on Thursday morning, Ross confirmed he would be seeking the nomination in the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East seat.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Tories said the decision to block David Duguid’s nomination was due to health reasons.
The former Scotland Office minister has spent four weeks in intensive care due to an illness affecting his spine although said in a post on social media he had been approved by local members and was ready to stand.
Commenting, the SNP’s campaign director Stewart Hosie said: “This is a day of shame for the Tories, with three-jobs Douglas Ross taking a seat from David Duguid to keep his third salary at Westminster.
“The way the Tories have treated Mr Duguid is indefensible. The nasty party just got nastier.”
Hosie added that voters in the constituency deserve a “dedicated, full-time MP and local champion” and encouraged people to vote for his party’s candidate Seamus Logan.
Discussing Ross’s decision, Logan said: “Irrespective of our political differences, it’s clear David Duguid cared very deeply about his constituents – and his treatment at the hands of the Tory Party will outrage many local families.
“I wish him a swift and full recovery. I give a commitment to people across Aberdeenshire North and Moray East that, if I’m elected on July 4, I will be a champion for everyone who lives here – and I will always put the interests of our constituency first.”
A number of other candidates took to Twitter/X to criticise Ross, with Pete Wishart commenting before the official announcement: “If this is the case the Scottish Conservatives will have given up any pretence of ever winning in the Scottish Parliament.
“Wonder if it is also a precursor to ending his disastrous leadership of the Tories here. There would be many Tory MSPs delighted at that…”
SNP candidate for Paisley and Renfrewshire North Gavin Newlands commented: “I’m speechless. Even I didn’t think Douglas Ross had the capacity to stoop quite so low.
“How terrible naïve of me.”
