Brown attacks SNP over independence call
Gordon Brown has kick-started the campaign for next year’s Scottish parliament elections with a speech in Edinburgh – but made no mention of the Labour leadership crisis.
The chancellor attacked the Scottish National party (SNP) for calling for independence, saying Scotland and England were “stronger together and weaker apart”.
And he also condemned the Conservatives for considering the idea of a separate English parliament as a way of solving the West Lothian question, where Scottish MPs can vote in Westminster on English affairs, but not vice versa.
However, Mr Brown made no reference to Tony Blair’s announcement yesterday of his departure plans, which could see the chancellor in Downing Street by this time next year.
Nor did he mention Charles Clarke’s attack on his behaviour this morning – the former home secretary said the chancellor had been “absolutely stupid” in failing to calm the Labour rebels calling for Mr Blair’s departure.
In a keynote speech this lunchtime, Mr Brown highlighted the close personal ties that bound England and Scotland together – two million Scots have English relatives – as well as those created by trade, geography and history.
And in what will be seen as a sign that he believes being Scottish will not be a barrier to his becoming UK prime minister, the chancellor insisted he would fight anyone who threatened the partnership of the two countries.
“For all my political life I have stood up for Britain and for the values that make us proud of our Britishness,” Mr Brown said.
“I had to fight nationalists trying to break up the union, and today we have to teach the Conservatives, who were once proud to be the party of the union, that the union matters.”
He said Scotland’s recent economic growth, which has seen unemployment fall by 50 per cent since Labour came to power in 1997, had only been achieved by a “partnership” between Westminster and the devolved government at Holyrood.
“I believe people will see the case for us being stronger together and weaker apart, for a UK founded on the devolution of power, but also on the partnership that brings us stability, cooperation and mutual support,” Mr Brown said.
However, the SNP – who are the main opposition to the ruling Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition in the Scottish parliament – dismissed the chancellor’s comments as a “sad and desperate attempt” to justify his bid to become prime minister.
“His newly discovered Britishness is about him becoming British prime minister not about the feelings of the people of Scotland or England,” declared leader Alex Salmond, who will be campaigning for an independent Scotland at next May’s elections.
He added: “While Brown and Blair obsess about their own future job prospects, the SNP will concentrate on the future of all of the people of Scotland.
“That is why both of them have good reason for panic about the reality of the SNP challenge to Labour hegemony in Scotland.”
