A would-be Conservative MP has seen a controversial call for No voters to unite against the SNP in Angus kicked into touch by his party’s coalition partners.
The Liberal Democrats ruled out the prospect of any move just weeks after their leader north of the border suggested the exact same tactic could be used to stop Alex Salmond being elected as MP for Gordon.
Conservative candidate Derek Wann called on No voters in Angus to “rally round” to stop incumbent SNP politician Mike Weir from holding the seat.
Mr Wann said: “Only by voting Scottish Conservative can we stop the SNP winning here again and only by returning a Scottish Conservative MP to Westminster can Angus have a representative who cares more about the people and issues in Angus above the SNP’s obsession with the constitution.
“The people of Angus voted overwhelmingly No in the referendum. It’s time to remind the SNP of that.”
Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson last month ruled out any suggestions of joint working to defeat the SNP after the Liberal Democrats’ Willie Rennie suggested voters who backed Better Together should vote for his party’s candidate in Gordon, Christine Jardine.
Sanjay Samani will stand for the Liberal Democrats in Angus and a senior figure within the party said: “There will not be any sort of pro-Union, anti-Nationalist alliance.
“I think we’ve learned from Gordon that’s not what voters want.”
Gerard McMahon, who will contest the seat for Labour, said: “I will be working every day between now and the election to win this seat and elect a UK Labour government in May.”
Mr Weir ridiculed the idea of running a general election campaign based on how people voted in September.
He said: “It appears the Tories want a rerun of the referendum, with a No alliance, but have been spurned by Labour and the Lib Dems.
“However, the general election is about having the strongest possible voice for Scotland in Westminster.
“A vote for the SNP will help secure more powers for the Scottish Parliament to protect our public services.”