Business leaders back union
Labour’s Scottish election campaign has been buoyed by more than 150 business leaders speaking out in favour of the union.
After the SNP published its 100 List of business leaders backing the nationalist party, pro-union business leaders have taken out a double page advert in the Scotsman praising the strength of the UK.
Although the signatories are speaking in support of the union and not explicitly backing Labour’s campaign, the party have welcomed the sentiment.
A Labour spokesman said: “We welcome these businessmen and women speaking out to back Britain.
“We know that the majority of business, like the majority of the Scottish people, oppose independence, but the scale and significance of these businessmen and women is a hammer-blow to the SNP’s claims that Scots want separation.”
The 151 business leaders also signed the statement in a personal capacity and not as representatives of their companies.
After it emerged that the Labour party did not fund the advert, the SNP rubbished claims it could be seen as a victory for Labour’s election campaign.
Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, told the Scotsman: “Two days ago, the SNP published a list of 100 business people calling on people to vote SNP. By contrast, Labour can’t get anyone to say vote Labour and they are reduced to getting front organisations to pay for their adverts.
“Labour is the party that dare not speak its name in Scotland’s business community.”
The Conservatives have also welcomed the business backing, claiming that it exposes the lack of support for the SNP’s calls for independence.
“Despite all the hype with which the SNP is surrounding itself, there is little support for them, and even less for independence,” said deputy leader Murdo Fraser.
