Brief
Scottish Conservative leader to denounce independence and SNP ties with Sinn Féin
Findlay plans to label the SNP's cooperation with Sinn Féin as a security risk and a threat to the United Kingdom.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservative leader, is set to speak at the party conference in Birmingham on Sunday, where he will condemn Scottish independence and the First Minister John Swinney's recent summit with Sinn Féin, according to Standard.co.uk.
What happened
Findlay will address the conference, describing the summit in Cardiff as a "separatist summit" and accusing Swinney of working with the former IRA political wing. He plans to reference IRA‑related bombings, including a 1984 attack at the same conference venue, and to link the SNP's independence agenda to foreign interference.
What the reports add
The article provides Findlay's quoted statements, such as: "Since Mr Swinney was a teenager, all he’s cared about is breaking up the United Kingdom" and "A divided UK is a gift to our enemies". He also claims that Iranian regime bots amplify Scottish nationalist rhetoric and that the SNP backs a Chinese wind‑turbine factory in the Highlands despite security concerns.
What was said
Findlay is quoted as saying, "I’ve been speaking with families who’ve lost loved ones to IRA terrorism. They’re angry and upset at Scotland’s First Minister forming a pact with the IRA’s former political wing." He also warned that "totalitarian regimes want a divided United Kingdom" and criticised the SNP for opposing Faslane and British armed forces.
How it came about
The speech follows Swinney’s recent meeting with Sinn Féin and Welsh nationalists in Cardiff, an event that has drawn criticism from unionist politicians. Findlay’s remarks echo earlier unionist concerns about foreign influence on Scottish politics, a theme previously covered by Felo News in articles on UK security and independence debates.
Key facts
- Russell Findlay will speak at the Scottish Conservative conference in Birmingham on Sunday. (standard.co.uk)
- Findlay plans to denounce the First Minister's summit with Sinn Féin as a security threat. (standard.co.uk)
- He will reference IRA‑related bombings and foreign interference in his speech. (standard.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk — originally reported as “Scots Tory leader to decry independence and FM’s summit with Sinn Fein”
