The SNP’s deputy leader has warned a vote for the Conservatives would be like political “self-harm” for the Scottish public.
Moray candidate Angus Robertson’s comments came on a visit to subsea engineering firm Rovop in Westhill alongside West Aberdeenshire counterpart Stuart Donaldson.
But the Tories – who are targeting the seat on the back of a surge in last week’s council elections – said support for the SNP would bring “another divisive and economically damaging referendum” on independence and criticised the nationalists’ record on oil and gas.
Mr Robertson, who has served as the SNP’s leader in Westminster since 2007, is seeking a fifth successive term in the Commons.
“There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell the Labour Party will win the election, so Theresa May will remain prime minister,” he said.
“Either we’re going to elect people who will stand up for the interests of people in this part of Scotland and the country as a whole, or they will elect people who are going to be cheerleaders for this ever-more-extreme Tory government who are going to do economic damage to this part of the world.
“It is not in anybody’s interest to politically self-harm themselves, their families or communities.”
On Monday, he was boosted by the Scottish Greens revealed they would not be putting forward a candidate to prevent splitting the anti-Tory vote.
He said: “I’ve never taken any vote for granted, I’ve now defeated the Conservatives four times in Moray and we’ve won every single parliamentary election there since 1983.
“We’ll work hard to continue that record.”
He said his Conservative rival- MSP Douglas Ross – would be a “part-time parliamentarian, who already has a multitude of jobs”.
Mr Ross hit back: “If Angus wants to talk about representing his constituents he would be better served holding as many local surgeries as I have and concentrate on Moray matters rather than only speaking for those who support separation.
“Far from an act of self-harm, voting Scottish Conservative in this election can protect Moray and indeed Scotland as a whole from another divisive and economically damaging referendum.
“The reality for the SNP is that an independent Scotland could not have coped with the downturn in our oil and gas sector and the subsequent collapse in revenue.
“The UK has been able to absorb those losses without the massive cuts to public spending and tax rises which would have been necessary had we voted Yes to separation in 2014.”