Nicola Sturgeon should put old loyalties aside and condemn her predecessor Alex Salmond’s latest media stunt, the Scottish Conservatives have said.
It emerged last night that Scotland’s former First Minister is to host a show on controversial Russian state broadcaster RT.
The station has been criticised for being a propaganda machine for the Russian government, and even registered itself as an “agent of the Russian state”.
Given its links to the Kremlin, the Scottish Conservatives have a policy not to put guests up to appear on the station.
In contrast, SNP MPs and MSPs have repeatedly featured over the years.
Now deputy leader Jackson Carlaw has called on Nicola Sturgeon to condemn the move, and finally distance herself from the man whose job she took over in 2014.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said:
“It’s clear that Alex Salmond’s moral compass now points towards Vladimir Putin’s corrupt regime in the Kremlin.
“It beggars belief that a man who led Scotland for seven years should be reduced to a puppet of Russia’s deeply damaging propaganda unit.
“Along with most people, ordinary SNP activists will be appalled by Mr Salmond’s actions.
“Hopefully Nicola Sturgeon will find the courage finally to distance herself from the embarrassing and shameful example being set by her predecessor.
“Old loyalties should not deter the current First Minister from speaking out immediately.”