Alex Salmond has accused Theresa May of turning the Conservative Party into UKIP rather than taking on the far-right in Britain.
The former SNP leader rubbished the Prime Minister’s assertion that she needs as large a mandate as newly-selected French president-elect Emmanuel Macron to negotiate a good Brexit deal.
“Emmanuel Macron has defeated the far-right in France by taking it on, by taking on Marine Le Pen and beating her,” Mr Salmond said.
“He’s done it on the basis of liberal, pro-European, progressive, optimistic values. Theresa May has done exactly the opposite. She’s bashed Ukip by becoming Ukip – she’s assimilated Ukip.”
He continued: “The speech that Emmanuel Macron made in front of the Louvre was an optimistic speech about the future of France in Europe.
“The speech that Theresa May made last week in front of Downing Street about confronting Europe could have been made by Nigel Farage.
“So, in France, they have taken on the far-right and beaten them. In the UK, Theresa May has turned the Tory party into UKIP, and that is something we in Scotland shouldn’t tolerate and shouldn’t stand for.”
Mrs May accused leaders in Brussels of attempting to influence the outcome of next month’s General Election by levying “deliberately timed” threats against the UK.
She also accused the European press of “misrepresenting” the UK’s position on Brexit, a reference to a German newspaper’s account of her dinner with Jean-Claude Juncker.
“Britain’s negotiating position in Europe has been misrepresented in the continental press,” she said.
“The European Commission’s negotiating stance has hardened. Threats against Britain have been issued by European politicians and officials.
“All of these acts have been deliberately timed to affect the result of the general election that will take place on 8 June.”
Responding to Mrs May’s claims on social media, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused the Prime Minister of poisoning the atmosphere for negotiations.
She said: “The UK need the best possible Brexit deal and has limited leverage, so for the Prime Minister to poison the atmosphere for partisan reasons is deeply irresponsible.
“Having called the election for reasons of party not political interest, the Prime Minister now seems intent on fighting the campaign in the same way.
“Making a bogeyman of the EU is all about distracting attention away from the Tories’ wider record – while the Prime Minister continues to hide away from voters.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives hit back at Mr Salmond’s claims, stating while they are focused on getting the best possible Brexit deal, the SNP seem “determined to derail the process at every opportunity”.
He added: “We need someone of the calibre of Theresa May in Downing Street to represent Britain with a strong mandate from the electorate and a strong negotiating hand. The alternative is a coalition of chaos with Jeremy Corbyn propped up in Number 10 by the SNP.
“That’s why we are having this election, and that’s why every vote counts. The choice in Scotland is simple, between the SNP that will take us back to division and instability and a Scottish Conservative party that will fight against another referendum so we can all move on together.”