The Scottish Tory standing against Alex Salmond in the general election declared there was “one rule for the SNP and another for everybody else” last night as their war of words intensified.
Inverurie councillor Colin Clark, who is contesting the Gordon seat, punched back after the former first minister branded him “£25,000 man”.
He said “negative slurs” were all the SNP heavyweight had left and insisted the attack had “backfired spectacularly”.
But Mr Salmond accused the Conservatives of being in a “blue funk”.
Earlier this week, the ex-SNP leader said Mr Clark, who has pledged to step down if successful on June 8, would be “the most expensive candidate in history”.
Resigning would necessitate a by-election only weeks after the local council contests, which Mr Salmond said would cost the public purse £25,000.
The Tories have now retaliated, pointing to the 13 SNP councillors elected as MPs in 2015, including Callum McCaig and Kirsty Blackman who won Aberdeen South and North respectively.
Mr Clark said: “That prompted a string of by-elections, which will have cost the public purse tens of thousands of pounds.
“Once again, it is one rule for the SNP and another for everybody else.
“Mr Salmond is clearly rattled. The SNP has taken support in Gordon for granted and their support is on the wane. All the former first minister has left are negative slurs.”
In response, a spokesman for Mr Salmond emphasised none of the 13 had campaigned to be a councillor and MP at the same time.
He added: “Nobody has ever stood for these elected offices simultaneously.
“Mr Clark had full knowledge he was standing as councillor when he decided to stand for MP.
“The Tories must see the outrage which has arisen in Elgin following the recent resignation of an independent councillor, and they are now in a panic as they’ve realised that they are about to make the same mistake.
“The easiest thing to do is to save Mr Clark the embarrassment and the public the expense of having him elected.
“Colonel Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man, was much better value.”
After success in the local elections, the Conservatives believe Gordon -held by Mr Salmond since 2015 and by Liberal Democrat Malcolm Bruce for more than three decades before that – is in play.
The other candidates are Lib Dem David Evans and Labour’s Kirsten Muat.