The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Darling calls on voters to reject SNP’s Indyref2
Former Labour Chancellor says Scotland does not need another ‘divisive referendum’
Former Chancellor Alistair Darling aped the Conservatives’ rhetoric on independence as he urged people to vote Labour and send the SNP the message that Scotland does not want or need another “divisive referendum”.
The man who led the Better Together campaign in the run-up to the September 2014 vote will say when a government focuses on the day job it can transform the lives of people in Scotland during a campaigning visit in Edinburgh today.
His intervention comes as a new poll has found that a majority of voters north of the border believe the SNP would have the right to hold a second independence vote if the party wins more than half of the Scottish seats in the general election.
Research by Panelbase for the Sunday Times Scotland found that 52% of voters believe the Prime Minister should not stand in the way of a fresh referendum if Ms Sturgeon makes a manifesto commitment to try to secure one and wins a majority of the Scottish seats.
It put support for independence at 45%, the same level as at the time of the 2014 referendum.
Lord Darling will highlight Labour’s achievements in government, including lifting 120,000 children out of poverty in Scotland, introducing the national minimum wage and introducing tax credits for those on low pay.
He will say: “Labour’s proud record shows what can be achieved when a government focuses on the day job.
“The priority of a Labour government is always to grow the economy, create jobs, lift people out of poverty and give everybody a fair chance in life, not seeking to divide the country.
“On June 8 people can vote Labour to send Nicola Sturgeon a message that Scotland doesn’t want or need another divisive referendum.”
An SNP spokesman said: “Labour should also be concentrating on stopping the Tories – by pandering to the Tories they are letting down voters in this election.”
Scottish Conservative candidate for Edinburgh South West Miles Briggs said: “Labour would return the UK to chaos, and turn their back on the two million Scots who voted No in 2014.”
Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon will attack the Conservatives’ decision to cut child tax credits today during a rare public appearance with her predecessor as First Minister, Alex Salmond, in Aberdeenshire.