Former PM accuses the Tories of whipping up anti-Scottish feeling
GORDON Brown has accused the Tories of “whipping up antiScottish feeling” and becoming the “party of English nationalism” in a crude bid to win votes, as he claimed that any form of post-election deal between Labour and the SNP would not happen.
The former PM, making his most high-profile intervention in the election campaign so far, said that David Cameron was attempting to present the election as a “referendum on whether people want a Labour government, controlled in Scotland by the SNP.”
Speaking in his former Kirkcaldy constituency, Mr Brown added: “There is no deal, there is no coalition pact, there is never going to be an arrangement between the Labour Party and the SNP. How, after all, could you have an arrangement with a party that wants to break up the country you want to build up?
“So how do the Conservatives keep this issue going? They have retreated to the most base tactic imaginable. Instead of defending the unity of the United Kingdom... they have retreated into becoming the party of English nationalism against Scottish nationalism.
“The purpose of this is to whip up anti-Scottish feeling in England to bolster their vote against UKIP in England, to make the SNP seem more important in Scotland.”
The ex-Labour leader, who strolled around the stage in a style reminiscent of his late interventions during the referendum campaign, also attacked the SNP, singling out Alex Salmond for his claim, which the Former First Minister said was a joke, that he would write the Labour budget.
Mr Brown added: “There’s no chance of Alex Salmond writing a Labour budget because he does not share our priorities on social policy. Why did he say it? Because he wanted to harm the Labour Party.”
Mr Brown also announced plans to send a £5,000 emergency payment to 167 food banks in Scotland on May 8, should Labour win office.