Oil and gas expansion is growth opportunity say Reform

Oil and gas expansion is Scotland's "greatest growth opportunity", Reform UK's chairman has claimed.

The party's former leader Richard Tice accused the SNP of "gross negligence" regarding the sector, as he launched their Scottish manifesto in Grangemouth.

Mr Tice said his party - predicted by some polls to be ahead of the Conservatives in voting share - were having success due to "common sense" policies and for "telling it like it is".

The party's key policies include scrapping all net zero targets, curbing immigration and raising the personal allowance threshold on income tax to £20,000.

Mr Tice, who stood down as leader to let Nigel Farage take over earlier this month, reiterated his party's regular attacks on net zero and climate change targets.

'Obsessed with wrong issues'

He said: "I can’t think of another nation in the world blessed with huge reserves of energy treasure that says 'I’ll just leave it underground...' Net zero is the greatest act of negligence imposed on a country by its leaders."

Mr Tice, who is running to be MP in the Lincolnshire seat of Boston and Skegness, claimed that axing all net zero projects would provide around £30bn to spend elsewhere, although this figure referred to the UK as a whole and not just Scotland.

He said outsourcing energy to the likes of France and Norway was "absolute madness", and that both the SNP and Labour were wanting to "double down" on it.

The party is standing candidates in every Scottish seat.

Mr Tice said the SNP was "obsessed with the wrong issues", citing gender reform and Brexit.

He also said that although Brexit's opportunities had not taken effect, this was due to the Conservatives having "betrayed us" in their handling of leaving the European Union, and not Brexit itself.

And on gender reform he claimed that parents were saying "thank heavens someone is telling it like it is".

The party proposes to ban what it calls “transgender ideology” in primary and secondary schools.

It says this would stop any gender questioning, social transitioning or pronoun swapping in schools.

However, education is devolved to the Scottish parliament, so this proposal could not be implemented in Scotland by taking power power at Westminister.

Mr Tice stated that the party's proposal to introduce considerable tax cuts for small businesses would help the rest of the country as well.

These plans include introducing a corporation tax free allowance of £100k in profits and lifting the threshold when businesses have to be VAT registered to £150k from £90k.

He said: "You can’t tax your way out of a crisis – you can grow your way out. Focus on growth - a rising tide lifts all boats and then we all become prosperous."

He added that this would then create more revenue to be invested in public services.

Mr Tice also said that his party's policies would help young people, and that he would like to see a "proper debate" on healthcare in the UK, although it would remain free.

The chairman praised Mr Farage, saying he provided a "turbo boost" to Reform since taking over as leader.

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Elsewhere on the campaign trail, the parties have been asked about reports of election betting.

Five Conservatives, including three candidates, are being looked at by the Gambling Commission for betting on the date of the election.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has admitted he placed bets but said he did not break any rules.

The commission is also investigating Suffolk Labour candidate Kevin Craig for betting on himself to lose. Scottish Labour said his behaviour was "completely unacceptable".

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton admitted he placed "very small" bets for a Lib Dem victory in two seats to show "confidence in my friends".

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, campaigning in Inverurie, said he was not aware of any party members being investigated for election bets.