“I DETEST the Tories and everything they stand for,” Nicola Sturgeon said on Sunday.
The backlash was gradual. Conservatives started to cotton on to what they apparently viewed as a brilliant line of attack.
In his trademark impotent rage, Tory MSP Stephen Kerr tweeted: “This is really unfortunate, especially from a party which has invested so much in hate crime laws.
“I don't ‘detest’ the SNP. I believe they are fundamentally wrong, that they lie and feed misinformation to Scottish people – but we can make that case without getting so personal.”
Further Scottish Tories, such as MSP Annie Wells and MP Andrew Bowie, claimed Sturgeon had attacked every person who voted for their party.
They seem to have misheard the First Minister – they wouldn’t be “feeding misinformation to Scottish people” on purpose would they?
Determined not to let it lie, the Scottish Tories have gone to their crack digital team and had a poster made up.
“I detest the Tories”, it reads, above a picture of Nicola Sturgeon.
But while Douglas Ross was no doubt chuffed with himself when he signed off on it (he has reshared it on his own account), it has backfired pretty spectacularly.
Genuinely thought this was an election poster for the SNP. #idetestthetories https://t.co/LYv1M0QA41
— Pictish Trail (@PictishTrail) October 10, 2022
“You know I’ve never thought about donating to the Tories but I’d pay for a poster of this as long as shipping was included,” one Twitter user quipped.
“Genuinely thought this was an election poster for the SNP,” musician Pictish Trail wrote.
Others said they would like the graphic printed on a t-shirt, or mailed to every home in Scotland.
“They didn't think this one through at all, did they,” Twitter user Mark Dobson wrote.
“A truly fantastic unifying cross-party message from the Scottish Tories,” journalist Alexander Lerche added.
Others suggested the Tories do some soul-searching to understand why Sturgeon’s “detest” line seems to have resonated with so many people.
Still Game’s Sanjeev Kohli wrote: “Maybe have a wee word with yourselves as to why so many people detest you?”
Maybe have a wee word with yourselves as to why so many people detest you? https://t.co/mnf8Jgtj3O
— Sanjeev Kohli (@govindajeggy) October 10, 2022
“Have you thought about not trashing people’s lives over the course of decades instead of whining when people are annoyed by that?” author James Felton wrote.
“Just wondering whether spreading the idea that some people think your party is detestable is the dope move you think it is?” another Twitter user asked.
It’s probably moves like this that have Douglas Ross on the ropes, fighting to remain as leader of the Scottish Tories as multiple rebellions brew.
