Humza Yousaf will urge SNP members to “make history” by making Scotland “Tory free” at the general election, as the party’s campaign council meets in Perth.

The SNP leader will say his party is second in each of the Tory-held seats in Scotland, while claiming most constituencies will be a “straight fight” between the two parties.

The meeting at Perth Concert Hall will see members and delegates from across Scotland come together to discuss policy and the upcoming general election.

It comes at the end of a difficult week for the First Minister after calls for the party whip at Holyrood to be removed from one of his close allies, Michael Matheson.

READ MORE: FM told to suspend Michael Matheson from SNP group

An inquiry by Holyrood's corporate body found on Thursday the former health secretary breached the MSPs’ code of conduct in relation to the near-£11,000 bill he racked up on a parliamentary iPad on holiday in Morocco.

The previous day, a major polling company found that voters would prefer to see Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar as First Minister after the 2026 Holyrood election than Mr Yousaf, while on Tuesday the national clinical director Jason Leitch announced he was to stand down.

Mr Leitch's decision to go followed a series of revelations to the UK Covid inquiry over Whatsapp messages sent to government figures during the pandemic.

He had also come under fire for mocking opposition MSPs in a Whatsapp exchange with Mr Yousaf, who was health secretary at the time.

READ MORE: Michael Matheson saga set to drag on - what happens next?

In a bid to get onto the front foot and energise his party ahead of a general election, Mr Yousaf will tell SNP activists: “In this election, we have the chance to make Scotland Tory free.

“We can make history. And there’s only one way to do it.

“Most seats across Scotland are a straight fight between the SNP and the Tories – and the SNP are in second place in each seat the Tories hold.

“Let us resolve, here and now, to win all of those Tory seats.

READ MORE: The controversies surrounding Jason Leitch's government exit

“From Aberdeenshire to the Borders, let’s free this country of the Tories once and for all.

“We need to reject not just Tory politicians, but Tory policies, Tory ideas and Tory values.

“That means rejecting them whether they’re delivered by someone in a blue rosette or a red one.

“Labour have made it clear that Scotland is an afterthought, that is why they are prepared to risk 100,000 Scottish jobs to build new nuclear power plants in England.”

Responding to Mr Yousaf’s comments, Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher said: “Humza Yousaf is desperately trying to pull the wool over voters’ eyes in the areas his urban-centric party have abandoned in rural Scotland.

“Voters in those areas – and in swathes of seats across Scotland – know only the Scottish Conservatives can beat the SNP and move the focus away from their independence obsession and on to Scotland’s real priorities.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “Humza Yousaf is spending yet another weekend trying to cobble together a coherent general election strategy, but the truth is he has nothing to offer voters.

“The SNP has a woeful record in government and no ideas for the future – and they don’t even have a plan to deliver their one policy of independence.

“Humza Yousaf cannot claim the SNP will speak for Scotland while they are defending the obscene profits of oil and gas giants over the interests of Scots struggling with high energy bills.

“While the SNP shout from the sidelines, Scottish Labour will put Scotland’s voice at the heart of government and deliver better pay, lower bills, a growing economy and stronger public services.”

The Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll put Mr Sarwar just ahead, on 32% , of Mr Yousaf on 31% when voters were asked who their first choice for FM would be. Thirty-seven per cent of respondents said they did not know.

The SNP and Labour were equally on 34%  in general election voting intentions. Electoral Calculus, the seat-modelling website, projected this would result in Labour winning 27 seats in Scotland and the the SNP taking 20, while the Tories would retain their six seats and the Liberal Democrats would win four seats.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said his "working assumption" is that there will be a general election in the second half of this year.

Last night it was reported by The Independent that Mr Sunak was working towards an autumn general election on 10 October.

The prime minister on Thursday ruled out a snap election on 2 May amid mounting speculation in Westminster that he wanted to coincide with the local elections in England.