The man who led Moray to the brink of a Brexit vote has backed the SNP’s Angus Robertson in the general election.

Last year, Paul Briggs and Mr Robertson clashed bitterly over the UK’s place in Europe.

Despite being an SNP member, Mr Briggs encouraged people to vote against the wishes of the party.

And in June, 49.9% of voters in Moray said they wanted out of the European Union.

The Remain camp triumphed by only 122 votes.

Mr Briggs still supports Brexit, but says he has grown disillusioned with Prime Minister Theresa May’s “hard” approach.

And he feels that only Mr Robertson can provide the robust Westminster opposition required to ensure that Scotland’s fishermen are given a fair deal.

However, the Scottish Conservatives condemned the SNP for trying to “spin” Mr Briggs’ support as a victory for the party he is already a member of.

Mr Briggs clarified his position last night, saying only the Nationalists can fight the government on reforming the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

He said: “I am still in favour of Brexit, but I will support Mr Robertson because he is the only person that can ask the prime minister the right questions and hold her to account on the promises made about fishing.”

Mr Robertson added: “Regardless of the way people voted in the EU referendum, there is little support for the extreme and damaging hard-Brexit being pursued by the Tories.

“We were told that we could be inside the single market but outside the Common Fisheries Policy. But the UK Government has turned its back on that option.”

The Conservatives have identified Moray as a target seat in the election.

Speculation is mounting that surging support for the Conservatives – as evidenced in last week’s council vote – could topple Mr Robertson’s 9,000 majority from 2015.

A Tory spokesman said Mr Robertson was “feeling the pressure”.

He added: “Mr Briggs’ apparent conversion to the SNP cause is a sham.

“He was an SNP staffer who quit his job with the party last year to run the Leave campaign in Moray.

“He even said then that he would return to the SNP once the referendum was over.

“To try and spin this as a ‘Road to Damascus’ moment is desperate stuff.”