Labour and the SNP should stop attacking each other for working with Tories

“Scots won't forget the cosy relationship between the SNP and their Tory pals”, according to Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran.

Labour is pushing the line following comments from former Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie to the Daily Record, in which she argues the SNP “were quite happy to work with us when they needed to” in the Scottish Parliament between 2007 and 2011.

Other useful lines for Labour included Goldie saying, “Alex Salmond took those Tory votes and Alex Salmond was glad to get them.”

As well as, “In return for supporting their budget, the SNP would include Conservative policies in their budget.”

Which is true, despite the SNP’s current claims that it would never work with the Tories in Government. And Labour has understandably leapt on the quotes.

As Curran put it, “I was there in the Scottish Parliament when the SNP worked hand in glove with the Tories.”

Meanwhile, Labour continue to be slated for exactly the same thing – working with the Tories, albeit through Better Together rather than budget deals.

Indeed some will inevitably point out that Labour is now using comments from a Tory Baroness as a weapon against the SNP.

'The Conservative Party seems to ruin all those it comes into contact with, while escaping any further damage itself – like a TV detective who never gets arrested, no matter how many times their friends end up murdered'

So it may be hard to say how effective the line will be, but one thing is certain: no one likes the Conservatives.

In fact we have reached the stage where everyone is accusing everyone of working with the Tories; a political scene dominated by Red Tories, Tartan Tories and the Scottish Tories. 

Ruth Davidson meanwhile, must be wondering – given how popular the strategy is – who she should accuse of siding with the Conservatives. Maybe the Lib Dems.

The Conservative Party seems to ruin all those it comes into contact with, while escaping any further damage itself – like a TV detective who never gets arrested, no matter how many times their friends end up murdered.

But actually the fighting might help the Conservatives – after all the anger currently on display in Scottish politics seems to be aimed at everyone but them, and things can’t get any worse anyway.

And maybe the SNP should beware, given it is simultaneously attacking Labour and planning some sort of post-election deal.

The Lib Dems went into the coalition on the basis that it is better to be inside the tent spitting out than outside spitting in. But that depends on just how much spit there is in the tent.

And being the ‘good guys’ in a coalition is no protection.

The SNP has managed, at least until now, to avoid being damaged through association with the Tories.

But if it wants to turn the seats it wins in May into influence, it will need to make compromises.

And if Labour is really as toxic as the SNP would have us believe, maybe the party should be careful about who it holds hands with – because if the Tories have taught us anything, the label is a tricky one to unpeel.