Ruth Davidson calls for independence to be taken off the table
The Scottish Conservative leader has spoken after last night's election results
Last updated 9th Jun 2017
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has called on Nicola Sturgeon to take a second independence referendum “off the table'', branding the demand “a massive political miscalculation''.
The SNP was down 21 seats after the General Election while Ms Davidson saw her party deliver its best result in Scotland for three decades by winning 13 seats.
The performance contrasted with the wider UK picture, which saw Theresa May fail to secure a Conservative majority.
Ms Davidson spoke out in support of Mrs May as she seeks to form a government with help from the DUP.
However, the Scottish Tory leader conceded the Prime Minister had not been given the mandate she sought.
She added that the UK Government must now listen to those who did not vote Tory and should now pursue an open Brexit, not a closed one''.
“SNP MPs who last night lost their seats have paid the price for what was a massive political miscalculation on Nicola Sturgeon's part.
“This morning, we have heard SNP figures acknowledge that the referendum demands were behind its bad result.
“We have heard the First Minister say she will 'reflect' on the matter. I'm afraid that's not enough.''
She added: Nobody will condemn the First Minister if she now decides to re-set her course.
“This is her opportunity to do so - and I urge her to take it immediately. She must take it off the table.''
While Ms Davidson congratulated newly-elected Tory MPs in Scotland, she said the UK-wide result fell short of expectations''.
“Labour's plan for more spending and more borrowing may be illusory but there's little doubt it has struck a chord,'' she said.
“However, the Prime Minister has made it clear it is her duty to get on with the job in hand and I support all efforts to do so.
“But just as the SNP must listen to the result on the independence referendum, we also have to listen to voters who did not give the UK Conservative Party the mandate we sought.
“It is incumbent on us to listen to other parties in Parliament, and people outside it, about the best way forward.
“It is the policy of both the Conservative Party and the UK Labour Party to respect the Brexit referendum result.
“That means we are leaving the European Union. We are leaving the Common Fisheries Policy.
“At the same time, we must, in my view, seek to deliver an open Brexit, not a closed one, which puts our country's economic growth first.''
The Tories increased their share of the vote in Scotland by more than 13% following an election campaign focused on opposition to a second referendum.
The party's revival led to the fall of major SNP figures, including former first minister and SNP leader Mr Salmond in Gordon and the party's current depute leader Mr Robertson in Moray.
The SNP's Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh was ousted in Ochil and South Perthshire by Conservative Luke Graham while her party colleague in neighbouring Perth and North Perthshire, Pete Wishart, held on to his seat from his Tory challenger by just 21 votes after several recounts.
The SNP's chief whip at Westminster Mike Weir lost the Angus constituency which he has held since 2001.
The Conservatives took a swathe of other seats in the north-east from the SNP.
Elsewhere seats including Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, Renfrewshire East, Stirling and Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk also turned from yellow to blue.