Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has stated that her party will put an end to the Scottish National Party's (SNP) use of public funds for what she characterizes as "grandstanding" and "silly grandstanding" on the international stage once in power.
Badenoch, speaking during a visit to Edinburgh, criticized First Minister John Swinney's recent trip to the World Cup, which Swinney described as a diplomatic duty, and his claims of influencing the lifting of tariffs on Scotch whisky. Badenoch asserted that such foreign policy matters are the responsibility of Westminster and credited the King for the tariff resolution.
"I'll stop that straightaway. And the silly thing of pretending they’re international when they’re not with fake embassies and so on," Badenoch said, referring to the SNP's overseas missions. "I was very amused when John Swinney said his World Cup trip was actually a diplomatic visit. This is just silly. What did he bring back?"
She added, "Being focused on things closer to home is quite critical and they’re not doing that. It’s all grandstanding. John Swinney should stop taking the credit - and he needs to put down the taxpayers’ credit card."
Badenoch pointed to the Conservative Party's recent by-election victory in Aberdeen South as evidence that their message is resonating with voters, suggesting a shift away from a past "branding problem" where the term "Tory" became a "slur." She believes that by focusing on issues affecting people's jobs and livelihoods, the party can regain trust, as demonstrated in Aberdeen South.
"That’s why I’m working very hard with new faces, new policies, new ideas, doing things differently and showing that this is not the Conservative Party that they said no to in 2024 and that historic defeat. This is a new Conservative Party - the one they’ve always wanted to see," Badenoch stated.
Her visit to Scotland, her 13th since becoming leader two years ago, emphasized her commitment to the country's potential, which she believes is hindered by "bad policy and bad politicians." She highlighted sectors such as farming, financial services, and oil and gas as areas where Scotland can flourish within the United Kingdom.
Badenoch also reiterated calls for increased oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, specifically urging the government to approve licenses for the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields. She criticized Prime Minister Andy Burnham for what she described as delaying decisions and failing to address the issue, contrasting it with the previous Conservative government's approval of these licenses.
"Drilling oil and gas in the North Sea is better for our carbon footprint. We are importing dirty oil and gas. It is madness for us to be relying on dirty oil and not drilling our own," Badenoch argued. She also expressed concern about reliance on China for energy infrastructure.
"What Andy Burnham needs to do is to stop kicking this into the long grass, grow a pair and approve those licences," she urged. "This is short-term politics - so Andy Burnham needs to grow up and start dealing with the big issues and not just the small issues he finds easy."
