Scottish Tories accused of trying to revive anti-independence coalition

SNP’s Ian Blackford says calls to vote tactically by backing Labour prove unionist alliance ‘still alive and well’

• Politics live - latest updates

Ian Blackford, the Scottish National party’s former Westminster leader, has accused the Scottish Tories of trying to revive an anti-independence coalition that became notorious among yes voters during the 2014 referendum.

Blackford said calls from Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader, for Tories to vote tactically against the SNP by backing Labour at the next election were proof that the unionist alliance that won the referendum was “still alive and well”.