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General election 2017: Scotland's political leaders step up their campaigns General election 2017: Lib Dems 'only challenger' to SNP in many areas
(about 4 hours later)
Scotland's political leaders are stepping up their general election campaigns, with exactly a month to go until polling day. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has said the council election results proved his party is the only challenger to the SNP in many areas of Scotland.
Ruth Davidson will officially launch the Scottish Conservatives campaign in Edinburgh while Kezia Dugdale will do likewise for Labour in Rutherglen. Mr Farron was speaking as he toured Scottish Lib Dem target seats ahead of next month's general election.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron is in Scotland to congratulate his party's newly-elected councillors. But SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said voters faced a "straightforward choice" between her party and the Tories.
And Nicola Sturgeon has joined SNP candidates in Perthshire. And the Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour formally launched their election campaigns.
Mr Farron arrived in Scotland on his campaign bus to congratulate the party's successful candidates in last Thursday's council elections, which saw the Lib Dems win 57 seats across Scotland.
The Liberal Democrats won only one seat in Scotland - Orkney and Shetland - at the last general election, but are hopeful of adding to that tally on 8 June.
The party has targeted seats such as Dunbartonshire East and Edinburgh, where it finished close behind the SNP in 2015.
And Mr Farron said the council election results, coupled with last year's Holyrood election results and the mood on the ground, showed that the Lib Dems were also the "real, and indeed, only challengers to the SNP" in parts of the Borders, Highlands and north east of Scotland.
He said his party would be "fighting against the divisiveness and the SNP's constant obsession" with a second independence referendum.
But he pledged to also provide "strong opposition to the Conservatives and their very narrow agenda", and accused the Tories of "taking Britain for granted".
Mr Farron added: "There is a very unique message from the Liberal Democrats in Scotland - it is the only party that thinks Scotland is better off in the United Kingdom, and that the United Kingdom is better off in the single market, and preferably in Europe."
Meanwhile, Ms Sturgeon said the outcome of the general election will determine for years the type of country Scotland will become.
Speaking as she visited a brewery in Perth, the first minister said any Conservative MPs elected in Scotland would simply be "standard bearer for Tory cuts", while her party's MPs would "stand up for Scotland against an increasingly right-wing Tory government".
And she said that SNP MPs would "put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands, not Theresa May's, not the Tories' and not Westminster's" and that "only the people of Scotland should determine the future of our country".
Ms Sturgeon added: "The issue at the heart of this election, not just in Perth and Perthshire but across Scotland, is a very straightforward one.
"Tory MPs from Scotland will be a rubber-stamp for Theresa May, for her reckless approach to Brexit and the cuts we know the Tories will want to impose.
"For those who want a stronger, fairer Scotland - and MPs who will speak up loud and clear against the Tories - then that can only be delivered by voting for the SNP on June 8th."
The SNP hailed last week's council elections as a victory after the party won 431 seats, more than any other single party.The SNP hailed last week's council elections as a victory after the party won 431 seats, more than any other single party.
But a surge in support for the Scottish Conservatives saw them end the day with a record 276 councillors, more than double the 115 they secured five years ago.But a surge in support for the Scottish Conservatives saw them end the day with a record 276 councillors, more than double the 115 they secured five years ago.
Speaking as she visited a brewery in Perth, Ms Sturgeon said any Conservative MPs elected on 8 June would simply be a "standard bearer for Tory cuts", while her party's MPs would "stand up for Scotland against an increasingly right-wing Tory government". As she formally launched her party's general election campaign at an event in Edinburgh, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson challenged activists to redouble their efforts over the next month, saying they had a "massive fight on our hands against an all-powerful SNP."
And she said that SNP MPs would "put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands, not Theresa May's, not the Tories' and not Westminster's" and that "only the people of Scotland should determine the future of our country". Ms Davidson said: "Across Scotland, it's a two-horse race. And across Scotland, we also know people are looking for somebody to stand up to the SNP.
Ms Sturgeon added: "For those who want a stronger, fairer Scotland - and MPs who will speak up loud and clear against the Tories - then that can only be delivered by voting for the SNP on June 8th." "So our challenge is this - it's to bring the SNP down to size. To show they can't take Scotland for granted.
Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has challenged her party to redouble efforts over the next month, saying it had a "massive fight on our hands against an all-powerful SNP." "To show that we, the Scottish Conservatives, can lead Scotland's fightback against the SNP."
Ms Davidson added: "Across Scotland, it's a two-horse race. And across Scotland, we also know people are looking for somebody to stand up to the SNP. 'Fed up'
"So our challenge is this - it's to bring the SNP down to size. To show they can't take Scotland for granted." Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale also launched her party's campaign, urging voters to "send a message" to Ms Sturgeon by backing Labour.
Elsewhere, Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale will tell voters in Rutherglen they can "send a message" to Ms Sturgeon by backing Labour.
She said: "The council elections showed people are turning away from the SNP, because they are fed up with the Nationalists' attempt to force another divisive referendum.She said: "The council elections showed people are turning away from the SNP, because they are fed up with the Nationalists' attempt to force another divisive referendum.
"In seats like Rutherglen and Hamilton West, and in most areas across Scotland, it's a two horse race between Labour and the SNP. The only way to stop the nationalists is to vote Labour." "In most areas across Scotland, it's a two horse race between Labour and the SNP. The only way to stop the nationalists is to vote Labour.
Lib Dem leader Tim Farron is bringing his campaign bus to Scotland as the party targets constituencies such as East Dunbartonshire and Edinburgh West. "The only way to stop the nationalists is to vote Labour. The Tories are the party of the 'rape clause' and hard Brexit.
Mr Farron said: "In this election people have a straight choice. They can reward Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond by sending another SNP cheerleader for independence to Westminster. "Voting Tory doesn't send a message to Nicola Sturgeon - it sends Theresa May back to Downing Street."
"Or voters can opt for a local Lib Dem champion who will reject independence, oppose a damaging hard Brexit and advocate for investment in mental health and education."