TORY MSP Murdo Fraser has accused Alba of racism over a leaflet showing Rishi Sunak as a laughing vampire with oil dipping from his fangs.
The pro-independence party has hit back, with Tasmina Ahemd-Sheikh insisting the leaflet was “nothing to do with colour” but was an "interesting" update of a famous SNP poster about Margaret Thatcher.
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The leaflets are meant to highlight the “bright future” for the North Sea oil and gas industry, and the revenue heading to the Treasury. Under the picture, the text reads, “No wonder he’s laughing, he’s got Scotland’s oil.”
A similar campaign was used by the SNP in the early 80s.
Mr Fraser tweeted an image of the leaflets and said: “This is where Scottish politics is in 2003 [sic], our first Asian heritage Prime Minister being depicted in this way.
“More than a little distasteful @AlbaParty.”
Ms Ahmed-Sheikh replied to the tweet and said: “Well, I was Scotland’s first woman of colour elected to Parliament, but it didn’t stop you trying (and failing) to ridicule me by tweeting old photos.
“Practice what you preach.”
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Ms Ahmed-Sheikh, who served as the SNP MP for Ochil and South Perthshire from 2015 to 2017, had previously been in the Tories. Standing for the party in Glasgow Govan for the 1999 Holyrood election.
Mr Fraser hit back at her reply, saying: “Were they doctored to portray you as a monster? Nope, didn’t think so.”
Ms Ahmed-Sheikh responded: “Of course anyone who knows anything about Scottish politics would recognise this as an interesting update of a poster from the highly successful ‘It’s Scotland’s Oil’ campaign – originally devised about Margaret Thatcher.
“Nothing to do with colour, all to do with substance.”
Of course anyone who knows anything about Scottish politics would recognise this as an interesting update of a poster from the highly successful “It’s Scotland’s Oil” campaign - originally devised about Margaret Thatcher. Nothing to do with colour, all to do with substance. pic.twitter.com/0uY5141uk3
— Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh (@TasminaSheikh) August 13, 2023
Mr Fraser replied: "But weren’t you a Young Conservative then? Before you joined Labour, then the SNP, then Alba? Where next?"
No 10 has said they hope to extract as much oil and gas from the North Sea as possible. At the end of last month, Mr Sunak announced more than 100 new drilling licences, as part of the UK Government's “maxing out” policy.
Launching the leaflet, Alba’s General Secretary Chris McEleny said Scotland had "world-envying reserves at our fingertips."
He added: “With independence we can take control of our own resources and in turn deliver for our people. Linking the constitutional to the socioeconomic has always been the way to bring together a broad coalition of our people to support independence."
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