DOUGLAS Ross has accused the BBC of showing bias and a lack of impartiality, saying concerns are growing about how the broadcaster in Scotland “trots out” SNP lines.

In an exclusive interview with The Herald, the Scottish Conservative leader said he would be complaining to BBC chiefs about how, in the run-up to May’s Holyrood poll, the Nationalists were gaining an unfair political advantage and were seeking to use the corporation in their drive to make Scotland a “one-party state”.

He echoed his Tory colleague Scottish Secretary Alister Jack’s call for Nicola Sturgeon to be replaced by a medical expert in the daily Covid briefings, which Mr Ross claimed had become “politicised”.

“It is clearly a decision the First Minister has taken to try and bypass Parliament as much as possible to be on the BBC. That’s wrong and there is a clear process that she can follow to get these announcements to Parliament and be questioned by opposition MSPs.”

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Mr Ross said the Chief Medical Officer could make announcements at the daily briefings, insisting: “It doesn’t need the FM, who continually says these are not political briefings yet enters into the political fray on many occasions.”

Making clear he would raise his worries with BBC chiefs at the Scotland and UK levels, he said: “It’s not just me. I know other political parties in Scotland[are concerned]. Just looking at my mailbox, the number of people who get in touch with me, who are really frustrated at the FM’s politicisation of these daily briefings and question why the supposedly impartial BBC are acting in this way.”

He went on: “I am going to continue to challenge the BBC on this point and other points. For example, a very political tweet went up yesterday for a radio show asking if the public agree with the offer of support from the UK for the MoD to get involved. It just seems like the BBC trots out SNP lines rather than impartial, unbiased lines.”

Asked if the thought the broadcaster was in the Nationalists’ pocket, the Tory leader replied: “There are serious concerns about the impartiality and the lack of bias that should be there from the BBC.”

He stressed: “Incredulously, we also get the SNP not content with the daily briefing from the FM. Keith Brown has moaned that they don’t get an SNP politician on to respond to what the SNP FM has said. It just shows their drive to use the BBC to further promote what they are trying to do, which is to make Scotland a one-party state; they don’t want to hear from opposition politicians and that is a very slippery slope to get into.”

Seven months after taking on the mantle of Scottish Conservative leader following Ruth Davidson’s resignation, Mr Ross said he was “loving” his new role of holding the Scottish Government to account.

“I’m getting to develop policies here in Scotland that will make a real difference to individuals, families and communities. I’m building a strong team to take the challenge to the SNP in this election.

“It’s very clear we are the only party strong enough right across Scotland to challenge the SNP and stop their divisive plans for another reckless referendum.”

Mr Ross insisted his relationship with Boris Johnson was one of “mutual respect” but the Moray MP has clashed with the Prime Minister and Downing St, most notably last year when he resigned as a Scotland Office Minister in protest at Dominic Cummings’s controversial trip to County Durham during the first lockdown.

Indeed, the Scottish leader has been at odds with Mr Johnson a number of times since, including over the PM’s notorious “devolution has been a disaster” comment.

Only this week, he was voting for an SNP motion to oppose the Government’s move on duty-free shopping; reviving it for Britons’ “booze cruise” trips from the continent but scrapping it for non-EU travellers here. Mr Ross made clear it was a “local issue” for him as his constituency has major textile and whisky interests and so relies heavily on the tourist trade.

However, his rebellion was duly noted across the road in Whitehall with one Government insider sniping: “You have to question the quality of the leadership if you’re the only one in an opposition lobby and none of your colleagues follows you.”

But this is the Scottish Tory leader’s delicate balancing act that he has to strike: to be seen to be his own man and party leader while enjoying or struggling to enjoy a good working relationship with the UK party leadership and Government in London. Such a relationship is something that has often been used as a stick by the SNP to beat both Scottish Conservative and Scottish Labour leaderships.

Shortly after taking on his new role, Mr Ross aimed both barrels at London and more widely at English Conservative colleagues past and present, complaining that an indifference to the Union south of the border was making the case for an independent Scotland more effectively than it was north of the border.

The Herald:

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“There has been a sea change within the UK Government, they have heard these concerns,” declared Mr Ross.

“I was clear this is not just a criticism of the current Government; previous UK Governments have devolved and forgotten, we can now see from the Prime Minister and through the Cabinet that everyone in the parliamentary party that the future of the United Kingdom is top of the political agenda and there is more awareness of the issues and the arguments we all have to make to ensure Scotland remains a strong and vital part of this family of four nations.”

The Moray MP sought to accentuate the positive regards the departure of his former parliamentary colleague Luke Graham as head of the Downing St Union Unit and the former Scottish MP’s replacement by Mr Cummings’s ally in the Vote Leave campaign, the Union Jack sock-wearing Oliver Lewis.

Mr Ross said he had had a number of constructive discussions with Mr Lewis, who “absolutely respects the position I have as leader of the Scottish Conservative Party and the person leading our campaign in Scotland”.

He brushed aside suggestions that the Union Unit was Scot-free, pointing out how Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Mr Jack and he himself had direct input into it.

“So, it’s not just a closed book. This is a unit within Government that listens to and shares with a wide variety of people with interests and clear, strong connections to Scotland.”

But Mr Ross again felt the need to underline the point that it was he and not Mr Johnson, who was in charge of the party’s Holyrood campaign. “The focal point of this election is here in Scotland but I am leading the party on our policies and our team and that’s been very clear from the Union Unit and Oliver Lewis.”

With 20 consecutive polls showing a lead for the Yes campaign, the party leader said he was undaunted in his fight to maintain what Mr Johnson has described as “our wonderful Union”.

Mr Ross added: “I don’t underestimate the challenges we face. I also don’t believe that just because of these opinion polls independence is inevitable. It means we all have to do, those of us who believe in the future of the Union of the United Kingdom, have to continue to work as hard as possible to present that positive case about Scotland remaining part of the UK. What we benefit from being part of the UK and what the UK benefits from Scotland being a part of it.”

A BBC spokesman said: “We strongly refute accusations of bias.

“Our recent coverage of coronavirus and public health issues in Scotland incorporates a range of voices and perspectives. This allows us to bring news and views from around Scotland and beyond, involving politicians from across the political spectrum, as well as commentators, analysts and other experts. We remain committed to having this broad coverage of voices and perspectives across all our news outlets on television, radio and online. The BBC also provides live coverage of the regular UK Government briefings as well as those in Wales and Northern Ireland,” he added.