Ruth Davidson apparently holds a contradictory position on devolving
powers from the Prime Minister IMAGE: STOCKPIX.EU

Scottish independence: Former advisors turn on Davidson over referendum

Ruth Davidson's leadership of the Scottish Tories and "silly" policy on Scotland's independence referendum were openly criticised by former party advisors today.

In a series of tweets this morning, former Tory party advisors attacked Ruth Davidson’s referendum position with one describing it as a “disaster” and another saying that she was “playing to a reactionary membership”.

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Former press officer for the party, Iain Gibson, said her referendum position was “all a bit of a disaster” and that her "line in the sand" position was: “Silly silly silly”.

Craig Wilson, who previously worked for the former Tory MSP Derek Brownlee and current MSP Gavin Brown, announced that he was “delighted” not to be in a Tory Party where Ruth Davidson was “playing to a reactionary membership”.

The criticism follows an apparent contradiction between the Prime Minister David Cameron's stance on devolving more powers to Scotland - after the referendum - as "on the table" and Ruth Davidson's position stated during her party leadership election when she said the current Scotland Bill going through Westminster was a “line in the sand”.

Scotland Bill Committee member Stewart Maxwell last week wrote to Miss Davidson requesting that she clarify her position, after she seemingly further confused the Tory position on more powers for the Scottish Parliament during an interview on Newsnight Scotland.

Ms Davidson was asked on Newsnight Scotland:

“But you both (you and Cameron) agree that there should be more devolution after a referendum if independence is defeated?”

She replied:

“Well that is not what either of us said… we are about to get it (more powers), it is called the Scotland Bill.”

In a House of Commons debate this week, David Cameron was asked by SNP MP Angus MacNeil to detail which "more powers" the Scottish electorate will be offered. No detail was forthcoming from the Prime Minister leading to fears that Scotland is being offered, what SNP Justice Minister Kenny MacAskill last weekend, called "a pig in a poke".

The Former Tory advisors' tweets are as follows -

http://twitter.com/#!/iaingibson

IainGibson (Iain Gibson)
Well this is all a bit of a disaster, FWIW I agree with the Prime Minister's stance, not Ruth's --> http://bit.ly/yIJCfr #fb

CraigW4584 (Craig Wilson)
@IainGibson Just read the article. Dear oh dear. That is bad for her.

IainGibson (Iain Gibson)
@CraigW4584 yes. The "line in the sand", what RD was told to say during the campaign, was never going to hold firm. Silly silly silly

CraigW4584 (Craig Wilson)
@IainGibson Obviously playing to a reactionary membership which I'm increasingly delighted to not be a part of.

IainGibson (Iain Gibson)
Worth clarifying that the article is of course from a very pro-SNP website, but it doesn't change the fundamentals #fb

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