Nigel Farage announced on Monday the Brexit Party would not stand in the 317 seats won in the 2017 general election by the Conservative Party. The Brexit Party leader claimed he made the decision in fear of a hung parliament and critical gains for the Liberal Democrats, fighting to stop Brexit, if his party challenged every seat. But, the decision sparked anger from SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon who warned the plot would culminate to be “deeply damaging” for Scotland.
Ms Sturgeon also claimed Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party had “effectively” become the Brexit Party.
She wrote on Twitter: “Any form of Brexit that is acceptable to Nigel Farage will be deeply damaging for Scotland.
“Makes it all the more important to get rid of Boris Johnson’s Tories, escape Brexit and put Scotland’s future into Scotland’s hands.
“The Tory party has now effectively become the Brexit party. The SNP is the main challenger in all of their Scottish seats.
“Defeating the Tories here will help deprive Boris Johnson’s increasingly extreme and right wing party of the majority they crave.”
The comments from the Scottish leader sparked a furious response after her online remark.
One online commentator wrote: “What by handing it to the EU on a plate, in your dreams.”
Another added: “Not as damaging as the Labour and the SNP together.”
READ MORE: Boris welcomes ‘Leave alliance’ with Farage
On Monday, the Brexit Party leader announced his party would not contest Tory seats won during the 2017 election.
He said: “The Brexit Party will not contest the 317 seats the Conservatives won at the last election.
“But what we will do is concentrate our total effort into all of the seats that are held by the Labour Party, who have completely broken their manifesto in 2017.”
Mr Farage claimed “our action prevents a second referendum from happening”, before adding: “We will also take on the rest of the Remainer parties.
“We will stand up and we will fight them all.”
Mr Farage also said he wants to see Brexit Party MPs elected to hold Mr Johnson to account if he wins a majority.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responded to the move by saying: “One week ago Donald Trump told Nigel Farage to make a pact with Boris Johnson.
“Today, Trump got his wish. This Trump alliance is Thatcherism on steroids and could send £500 million a week from our NHS to big drugs companies. It must be stopped.”
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson tweeted: “The Conservative Party are the Brexit Party now.”
