Nicola Sturgeon reacts to poll claiming Theresa May will take a dozen seats off her by claiming Scotland is now a ‘two horse race’ between SNP and Tories
First Minister replies as she tries to hold on to her party’s seats in the face of surging support for the Conservatives
NICOLA Sturgeon has reacted to a shock poll predicting Theresa May will take a dozen seats off her in Scotland by claiming the election is a “two horse race” between the SNP and the Tories.
The First Minister is going on the attack as she tries to hold on to her party’s seats on June 8 in the face of surging support for the Conservatives north of the border.
A survey showed the party are no longer toxic, with a third of Scots voters backing the Prime Minister, meaning she could pick up a host of former nationalist seats on June 8.
In response Ms Sturgeon will say Scotland will pay a "heavier price" if more Tory MPs are returned to Westminster in at the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Aviemore today.
She will tell union members: "The Tories have taken an extreme position, demanding an end to any opposition at Westminster if they win the election."
She will try and scare Scots by claiming switching to the Tories will bring more austerity and lead the UK to a so-called hard Brexit.
The SNP is seeking to hold on to the 56 Westminster seats it won in 2015, with Ms Sturgeon saying a majority win in Scotland would ''reinforce'' the mandate for a second referendum on independence.
Meanwhile the Scottish Conservatives are focusing their campaign on opposing another independence vote.
Murdo Fraser, Tory finance spokesman, said: "This biggest threat to prosperity in Scotland is not from a Conservative government, but from Nicola Sturgeon's obsession with cutting us off from our biggest market, the rest of the UK.
"The choice at this election is very clear, and it is only the Scottish Conservatives that can be trusted to preserve the Union."
Scottish Labour's James Kelly said: "Nicola Sturgeon is attempting to pull the wool over voters' eyes.
"Her only priority on June 8 is finding an excuse for another divisive referendum, not kicking the Tories out of office."