Nicola Sturgeon: SNP is using foxhunting to kick the Tories — and will intervene on English issues again

It has only taken the SNP 68 days to jettison its principles for some good old Tory bashing. On the Today programme, Nicola Sturgeon gave three reasons as to why the SNP will be voting against relaxed foxhunting restrictions in England. Combined with an ‘overwhelming demand from people in England’ and a potential future debate about Scottish foxhunting laws, the First Minister happily admitted that the decision had ‘less to do with foxhunting’ and more to do with giving David Cameron a kicking:

‘Since the election, David Cameron’s government has shown very little respect to the mandate that Scotland MPs have. On the Scotland Bill, reasonable amendments backed by the overwhelming majority of Scottish MPs have been voted down. The English votes for English laws proposals brought forward go beyond any reasonable proposition and look to make Scottish MPs effectively second class citizens in the House of Commons.

‘So I think if there’s any opportunity, as there appears to be here, and on an issue where David Cameron appears to be out of touch on the majority of English opinion as well, to actually remind the government how slim their majority is and perhaps that’s an opportunity for the SNP.’