Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has been challenged to distance himself from a motion at tomorrow’s conference urging the party to consider Scottish independence.
The motion, from organisation A Liberal Scotland in Europe, states Scotland should prioritise its relationship with Europe over the UK.
It adds that the party should back Nicola Sturgeon on her pledge to consider “all possible options” following Brexit, which would include a second independence referendum.
The move has been criticised by the Scottish Conservatives, who said it proved once again the Liberal Democrats could not be trusted when it came to Scotland’s place in the UK.
Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser has now written to Mr Rennie, urging him to back the two million people who voted No in 2014, rather than pandering to those sympathetic to separation.
The motion will be debated at tomorrow’s event in Dunfermline.
Scottish Conservative Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser said:
“The Liberal Democrats stood with us two years ago the campaign to keep the UK together.
“Now it seems one of the main themes of their conference will be to reverse that and get on board with the SNP.
“This is why Willie Rennie has to distance himself from this move, and ensure the party respects the decision made by two million Scots in 2014.
“This motion clearly suggests the EU market is more important to Scotland than the UK one, yet nothing could be further from the truth.
“We know Willie Rennie wanted the UK to remain part of the EU, but he needs to explain now if he thinks jeopardising Scotland’s place in Britain is a price worth paying for that.”