THE Tories have been whipping themselves into a frenzy after Nicola Sturgeon said she “detested” everything they stood for, broadcasting the First Minister’s statement far further than it ever would have travelled without their help.
But instead of the outraged pearl-clutching they were no doubt banking on, people across the UK have come out in support of the SNP leader’s statement.
The line has proven so popular that some entrepreneurial souls have started flogging merch with it printed, on a graphic handily provided by the Scottish Tories.
People are Using the @ScotTories own image to sell their merch 😂😂👇 pic.twitter.com/dwhUtCE3we
— Janey Godley (@JaneyGodley) October 11, 2022
Of course, there’s been the predictable faux outrage from the same Conservatives who didn’t bat an eye at Michael Gove being labelled a “sadist” with a “darkness inside him” that “corrupts his soul” by figures in his own government, but little else.
As the FT’s chief political correspondent Jim Pickard noted: “This ‘pass the smelling salts’ reaction would be more credible if the Tories weren’t briefing this weekend that an SNP-Labour coalition would be ‘monstrous’.”
Quite.
And now anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe has come out swinging in support of the First Minister.
After a brief Twitter hiatus, Monroe logged back on to the social media platform on Sunday. After one tweet of a wave emoji to hint at her return, and a share of a Martin Lewis tweet about a “little known benefit” that could add 1000s to pensions, the “bootstrap cook” launched into a defence of the SNP leader.
You may disagree with me, and that’s fine, but watching the literal oppressors co-opt the language and struggles of those they oppress on a daily basis is a little bit much to keep quiet on. Straight from the Abusers Handbook 101, that nonsense, and I won’t stand for it.
— Jack Monroe (@BootstrapCook) October 10, 2022
“Being a Tory is not a protected characteristic. It is a choice, unlike race, sex, gender, disability, etc,” they wrote.
“If you don’t want to be considered detestable, you can identify right out of Conservatism and stop backing detestable people, policies and ideas. #IStandWithNicolaSturgeon”
Monroe went on: “You may disagree with me, and that’s fine, but watching the literal oppressors co-opt the language and struggles of those they oppress on a daily basis is a little bit much to keep quiet on. Straight from the Abusers Handbook 101, that nonsense, and I won’t stand for it.
“If you honk like a goose, look like a goose, and goosestep like a goose, you can’t really pretend to be offended if people point out that you may just be a goose.”
Sturgeon has refused to back down on the statement, saying that she was talking about Tory “values and policies” that had “devastated communities and plunged people into poverty”.
But the Scottish Tories have willingingly ignored all that, instead pretending she was talking about everyone who cast a vote for the Conservatives.
They've made desperate attempts to grab headlines with moves such as inviting her to their currently blue constituency or asking Holyrood's presiding officer to intervene.
It’s all a bit tiresome.
