Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay will today (Sunday) say the SNP's obsession with independence is now "dangerously irresponsible".
Speaking at UK conference, he will say that in today's volatile world, their relentless agitation about breaking up the United Kingdom is no longer just a "dangerous distraction."
He will tell the party's fringe event in Birmingham that a divided UK is a "gift to our enemies" and highlight Putin's foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, talking up the recent "separatist summit" in Cardiff, where John Swinney shared a platform with Sinn Fein.
Findlay will slam Swinney for cosying up to Sinn Fein and relay the "anger and upset" from those who have lost loved ones to IRA terrorism at the SNP leader's new alliance.
He will say it is a disgrace for Swinney to be teaming up with them to destroy the United Kingdom.
Findlay will also tell conference about how a recent visit to Faslane and briefing from senior military figures reaffirmed the importance of the UK's shared strengths to him.
He will say the UK is facing grave threats from China, Russia, Iran and others and the SNP share the aim of those totalitarian regimes in having a divided country.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay is expected to say: "Since Mr Swinney was a teenager, all he’s cared about is breaking up the United Kingdom.
"Sorry Mr Swinney, and your new friends in Sinn Fein, but we won’t let that happen.
"I’ve been speaking with families who’ve lost loved ones to IRA terrorism.
"They’re angry and upset at Scotland’s First Minister forming a pact with the IRA’s former political wing.
"Let’s not forget that Sinn Fein has never denounced the IRA slaughter of innocent men, women, and children.
"Or the murder of many brave service men and women, including Scottish soldiers.
"Or the bomb they planted at this very conference in 1984 - murdering five people including Muriel Maclean, the wife of former Scottish Conservative president Sir Donald Maclean.
"Yet Mr Swinney works with them to destroy the United Kingdom. A disgrace.
"Just last week, Putin’s foreign minister was talking up the Cardiff gathering of Swinney, Sinn Fein and Welsh nationalists. That tells you everything you need to know.
"A divided UK is a gift to our enemies.
"We already know that many of the most noisy and aggressive Scottish nationalists are in fact Iranian regime bots.
"Furiously tweeting about freedom not from Troon or Twechar but Tehran.
"John Swinney is still backing a proposed Chinese wind turbine factory in the Highlands despite concerns about its threat to national security.
"The importance of our shared strength was brought home to me last week.
"I had the privilege of visiting His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, which is the home of Britain’s nuclear deterrent.
"Faslane, provides thousands of skilled jobs in my west of Scotland constituency.
"When’s the last time any SNP politician championed the men and women at Faslane who keep us all safe? Have they ever?
"I also had the privilege of being briefed by senior military figures at the Scottish Parliament.
"The head of the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in Scotland spelled out the reality of the world we are now living in.
"We face grave threats from China, Russia, Iran, and others. We are already under attack in cyberspace. We face Russian hostility in our waters and Iranian plots on our streets.
"These totalitarian regimes want a divided United Kingdom.
"And we have SNP politicians who share that aim. They want to shut down Faslane. They oppose Britain’s armed forces.
"In today’s volatile world, relentless SNP agitation about independence is no longer just a dangerous distraction.
"It is now dangerously irresponsible.
"Can you imagine what kind of foreign policy an independent SNP-run Scotland might have?
"One that puts Sinn Fein over IRA victims, Chinese interests over national security and pro-Palestine posturing over the safety of Scotland’s Jews."
