Russell Findlay said he would “send prisoners to foreign jails” as he launched the Scottish Conservatives’ manifesto in Edinburgh on Tuesday.
In a speech to party members and media, the Scottish Conservative leader highlighted the party’s key promises as Scots head to the polls in a month’s time.
Chief among his ideas to “help people and get Scotland working” were plans to return unspent taxes to taxpayers and to “future-proof the world of work against the threat and opportunity of AI.”
With Scotland facing significant overcrowding in its prisons – with a record high of 8,452 in March 2026—the Scottish Conservatives leader laid out his “plan to send prisoners to foreign jails to stop the soft-touch SNPs disgraceful early release of criminals.”
Findlay did not elaborate on which country prisoners would be sent to, but mentioned the scheme between Estonia and Sweden.
The Scottish Conservatives also listed other policies, which include “cutting tax bills, raising school standards, delivering faster GP appointments, fixing the roads, and putting more police on our streets.”
The Scottish Conservatives have entered the election cycle behind most parties, with most polls suggesting a significant collapse in their number of seats.
The early part of the speech was spent criticising Keir Starmer and John Swinney’s running of their respective governments, saying he will end “the SNP’s obscene waste of taxpayers’ money”.
His core focus, however, was on stopping an SNP majority in attempt to stop a second independence referendum in the same way as his predecessors Ruth Davidson and Douglas Ross did.
He said: “I’m going to give absolutely everything I’ve got to stop the SNP on May the 7th.
Findlay asked Scots to use their regional ballots to “stop an SNP majority”.
He said: “The thought of a divisive and distracting referendum is not just concerning to me but terrifying. Our country desperately needs to break the SNP’s toxic spell.”
He added: “We cannot allow John Swinney to plunge the next parliament into constitutional chaos.”
Mr Findlay also set his sights on Reform UK, calling them “unionist in name only”.
He said: “They’re happy to have a referendum within a few years. Lord Offord says he will work with nationalists.
“He’s even told them how to get and how to win a referendum. It’s no surprise to see independence supporters standing as Reform candidates.”
“Reform cannot be trusted on the Union. They cannot be trusted, full stop.
“Their flimsy manifesto fell apart in less than 24 hours.”
A significant part of the Scottish Conservatives’ low polling nationwide has been as a result of the emergence of Reform UK, with the Tories struggling to come to grips with the rightward shift of British conservatism.
Despite coming in second place in 2021, they face the very real possibility of being the fifth largest party.
Findlay took aim at Reform’s rocky campaign start.
He added:”Their candidates have been dropping like flies.
“Lord Offord has spent the campaign going in and out of hiding, they’ve had a chaotic start.
“How can they be trusted to take on the SNP if they can’t even sort their own candidate vetting process?”
The party includes a proposal to abolish Land and Building Transaction Tax in its manifesto which is exactly the same pledge made by Reform UK. The Conservatives say they will do away with the tax for first time buyers and families to ensure they are helped into home ownership.
The party has also (again in common with Reform UK) proposed making swathing changes to the way government would pay heed to net zero aims. The Scottish Conservatives would abandon any need for builders to adhere to net zero rules and incur new costs for additional heating and upgrading. Reform UK said much the same in their manifesto launched at Bishopton several weeks ago.
