JOHNNIE WALKER BATTLE MOVES TO HOLYROOD

Today (Wednesday), the battle to stop Diageo closing the Johnnie Walker plant in Kilmarnock moves to the Scottish Parliament where Kilmarnock & Loudoun MSP Willie Coffey will lead a debate on the company’s plans to lay off hundreds of workers.

The debate was initiated by Mr Coffey after he tabled a motion supporting the cross party campaign established to oppose the closure of the Johnnie Walker plant in Kilmarnock.

The motion has attracted support from all political parties and is to be debated by the parliament on its first day back after the summer recess.

Earlier today, there will be a Scottish Government statement to the parliament on the work being done to persuade Diageo to change their plans.

The debate will also be backed up by action throughout the day by the trade unions representing Diageo workers, many of whom will be in parliament to hear the debate.

Commenting before the debate Mr Coffey said:

“Since Diageo made their announcement on 1 July, there has been a huge amount of work done on a cross party basis to halt this damaging proposal.

“That the parliament is to debate this on the first day after recess shows how seriously all parties view this threat, not only to Johnnie Walker and Kilmarnock, but also to the Scotch whisky industry.

“Ending Johnnie Walker’s link with Kilmarnock and tearing 800 jobs out of the local economy is a strategic mistake by Diageo and is also socially unacceptable.

“Johnnie Walker is the world’s most successful whisky and has been built up over many years. The workers are rightly asking why their jobs are being destroyed by Diageo in pursuit of short-term gain.

“It is absolutely right that we ask why a company that is making billions in profit each year is walking away from such an important part of the industry's heritage."

SNP WESTMINSTER LEADER GIVES EVIDENCE TO KELLY COMMISSION

SNP PROPOSE AMENDMENT TO PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS BILL

SNP Westminster Leader, Angus Robertson MP, today (Monday) gave evidence to the Committee into Standards in Public Life where he advocated a system based on that currently in operation at the Scottish Parliament.

The session comes ahead of the Commons debate on the Parliamentary Standards Bill tomorrow, where the SNP Westminster group will present an amendment making it a criminal offence not to declare a relevant interest when speaking in the Parliament.

Commenting, Mr Robertson said:

" Westminster has been dragged kicking and screaming towards reform. We must not stop until we have trustworthy and transparent system in place - the Scottish Parliament sets the benchmark on how that should be done.

“Throughout the all-party talks preceding the Parliamentary Standards Bill, the SNP have consistently argued for legislation which will match that in operation at Holyrood. Tomorrow, the SNP Westminster Group will push forward an amendment which will make it a criminal offence to conceal a relevant interest when speaking in Parliament – ensuring practice in Westminster meets the Holyrood standard.”

Angus Robertson MP the only Scottish politician to give oral evidence to the Committee and – despite travelling to Belfast and other locations in London – there is no scheduled evidence session north of the Border. Mr Robertson added:

“Until Scotland secures independence, Holyrood may have fewer powers than Westminster , but it is abundantly clear that the Scottish Parliament provides the gold standard in setting new standards of democracy.

“A few years ago, when faced with its own difficulties over Members’ conduct, the Scottish Parliament took decisive action and now, Holyrood is a beacon of good practice.

“I find it incredible that, despite a first rate system operating just a few hundred miles from London , the Committee have neglected to conduct an in depth survey. Surely, the point of this exercise is to establish the best possible framework, to restore faith in the fractured UK Parliament.”

NEWLY PUBLISHED YOUGOV POLL PUTS HOLYROOD INDEPENDENCE MAJORITY “IN TOUCHING DISTANCE”

SNP DOUBLES ITS LEAD OVER LABOUR

The newly published Holyrood voting intentions from the Sunday Times’ YouGov poll published at the weekend show that the SNP has doubled its poll lead over Labour in the Scottish Parliament constituency vote since the previous YouGov poll in April – and puts the parties and MSPs who support Scottish independence within touching distance of an absolute majority in the Scottish Parliament: just five seats short. The poll figures are now published on the YouGov website.

The poll puts the SNP on 39% of the constituency vote to 26% for Labour – a 13 point lead, up from 7 points in April. The Weber Shandwick seats projector analysis shows that at least 60 MSPs who support independence would be elected on this poll: comprising 52 SNP MSPs, 7 Greens, and the likelihood that Margo MacDonald would be one of the two ‘Other’ MSPs elected.

The poll projection shows the SNP winning 52 seats (up five) to Labour’s 36 (down 10). The SNP would win 49 of the 73 constituency seats (up 28), and three list seats. The Tories would fall one seat from 2007 to 16, and the Liberals would also win 16 seats (no change).

Commenting on the poll, SNP MSP for Stirling and Minister for Parliamentary Business Mr Bruce Crawford said:

"Having won the European election in Scotland and moved ahead of Labour in Westminster voting intentions, this sensational new poll shows a huge SNP lead for the Scottish Parliament.

“It demonstrates that the people of Scotland trust the SNP’s record in Government – including our action to support economic recovery, as well as freezing the Council Tax, slashing business rates, phasing in free prescriptions, scrapping bridge tolls, and delivering 1,000 additional police officers.

“On the day after the Calman Commission published its report, the significance of these figures is that it would put the pro-independence parties and MSPs within touching distance of achieving an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament – including 52 SNP MSPs and seven Greens.

“The Calman parties – Labour, Tory and Lib Dem – are behind the times, as well as being behind the SNP in elections and polls. The opportunities that we have and challenges we face as a nation require full financial powers, so that we can take the big economic decisions Scotland needs to succeed.

“That is the positive case the SNP wish to take to the people in the referendum we propose for 2010 – so that people have the opportunity to choose independence and equality for Scotland.”

SNP AHEAD FOR WESTMINSTER, HOLYROOD AND EUROPE

YOUGOV POLL SHOWS SNP SUPPORT SOARS

The SNP have hailed the latest opinion poll by YouGov published in the Sunday Times today which shows that support for the SNP has almost doubled from 18% to 31% since 2005. The poll of more than 1,000 Scottish voters also shows that support for Labour has slumped and would see the party lose nearly a third of its 41 Scottish MPs, with Scottish secretary Jim Murphy and Scotland Office minister Ann McKechin struggling to hold their seats.

Coming just a week after the SNP won the popular vote in the European Elections, SNP Westminster leader and party Business Convener Angus Robertson MP seized on the poll which shows the SNP, for the first time, ahead for the Scottish Parliament, Europe and Westminster.

Mr Robertson said:

“This is a fantastic poll result for the SNP. For the first time ever, we are in the lead for Westminster, Holyrood and the European Parliament all at the same time, and on the back of last week's historic election victory.

“It shows that the people have confidence in the Scottish Government and its assured performance in stark contrast to the chaos, infighting and meltdown at the heart of Gordon Brown’s Downing Street.

“Scottish Labour MPs will be looking at these results fearfully, with the party set to lose more than a third of its MPs, while the Tories’ talk of making inroads is looking more like a dead-end. Lib/Dem support has also collapsed, showing all the Calman parties all in trouble.

“Increasingly, it looks as though the SNP may well hold the balance of power at Westminster, and that the Tories and David Cameron will have no mandate in Scotland, regardless of how they perform elsewhere.

“With Labour and the Tories making no secret that they plan to make damaging cuts to Scottish spending, people know that SNP success at the General Election can stop these cuts completely and ensure we are well placed to recover strongly from the recession.

“SNP success is taking Scotland forward, and we will continue to make the case for independence and equality as the best future for our nation.”