GRAY DIAGEO HYPOCRISY EXPOSED

LABOUR LEADER FAILS TO PUT JOBS BEFORE PARTY POLITICS

Labour leader Iain Gray’s hypocrisy in his attempts to attack the Scottish Government over Diageo has been exposed as an interview with the Scotsman – prior to the Diageo announcement this week – reveals he would have taken part in the march for jobs – despite attacking the First Minister for it.

In the interview he also welcomed the efforts of John Swinney and the First Minister to produce an alternative plan to Diageo’s Kilmarnock closure.

Reported in the Scotsman today Mr Gray said:

"I would have gone on the protest march as first minister.

"Labour's take on this has been to work with the trade unions. That's why I probably would have gone on the protest march because the trade unions were a big part of organising that."

He added: "John Swinney and the First Minister have got involved in the campaign and they have made sure that Scottish Enterprise has worked to try and produce the alternative plan."

SNP MSP for North Ayrshire Kenneth Gibson, who took part in the campaign against Diageo’s closure plans said:

“These comments expose the utter hypocrisy of Iain Gray’s actions in Parliament. Fighting for jobs in Scotland should always come before party politicking, and that is the test Iain Gray keeps on failing.

“Labour must, like the Scottish Government, focus on working with the taskforce, the trade unions and the company to ensure the best deal for those workers and for Kilmarnock who are now facing up to a future without Johnnie Walker.”

“Instead Iain Gray decided to attack Mr Salmond for attending a rally which he himself said he would have gone to had he been First Minister.

"Iain Gray has no idea what direction he or his party are facing. He is fumbling his way through leadership and letting his party down. It's not just that he doesn't seem to know what he or his party believe from one day to the next, he cannot remember what he has said from one day to the next.

“After his poorly judged response to the Megrahi case, Iain Gray has once again displayed why he is not Scotland’s First Minister.”

LABOUR LEADER REMAINS THE "INVISIBLE MAN"

FEWER THAN 40% OF LABOUR VOTERS WANT “INVISIBLE MAN” FOR FIRST MINISTER

Labour leader Iain Gray has admitted that he has not connected with the public and the voters are not connecting with Labour as polling shows the SNP maintaining a lead in opinion polls and that fewer than 40% of Labour voters think Iain Gray would be a good First Minister.

In an interview with the Scotsman Gray accepts that people do not know who he is, despite having held the leadership of Labour for 12 months - ignoring the fact he was also a minister in the previous Scottish Executive.

His comments support recent polling by YouGov which showed First Minister Alex Salmond was three times as popular as all other Scottish party leaders combined and that Iain Gray was supported by only 12% of those polled – only 1% more than Scotland’s Conservative leader Annabel Goldie.

Even amongst Labour voters the poll shows fewer than 40% want Iain Gray to be First Minister.

In his interview Mr Gray states: “There’s no hiding the fact I need to raise my profile.”

Commenting on Iain Gray’s interview and the poll figures SNP MSP and Convener of the SNP group Gil Paterson said:

“Far from being new Iain Gray has had a year as Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament to get known and to win support. He also had four years as a Government Minister. If he cannot make his mark now, when will he?

“Instead of winning new voters fewer than 40% of his party’s voters want Iain Gray as First Minister.

“It will be deeply disturbing for Labour that their leader is Scotland’s invisible man.

“And as performances and polls in the last week have shown Iain Gray has failed to make a positive impact on Scottish politics. In contrast the Scottish Government has taken tough decisions and set out a forward thinking agenda for Scotland with the continued support of the Scottish people.

“Instead of carping from the sidelines Iain Gray might make more progress with a positive approach to the SNP Government and a willingness to give the Scottish public their constitutional say over Scotland’s future.

“It is a stark contrast for Labour to consider that after a year of Iain Gray’s negative efforts at leadership Alex Salmond’s ratings are three times higher than those of the Labour or Tory leaders in Scotland, and as a poll this weekend shows the SNP is maintaining an 8 point lead over
Labour in the Holyrood polls. "

MILIBAND HUMILIATES IAIN GRAY - MACASKILL ACTED "IN THE RIGHT WAY"

IAIN GRAY'S CASE UNDERCUT BY UK GOVERNMENT “RESPECT” FOR SCOTTISH PROCESS

Labour’s leader in the Scottish Parliament has been undercut by UK Ministers today as David Miliband confirmed that neither he nor the Prime Minister wanted Mr Megrahi to die in jail – the supposed position of Iain Gray – and as Mr Miliband gave his backing to the Scottish Government’s handling of the issue.

Speaking on Radio 4 Today programme this morning Foreign Secretary David Miliband said:

“We did not want him to die in prison. No, we weren't seeking his death in prison. We have been absolutely clear."

On the Scottish Government’s handling of the decision over Mr Megrahi he said:

“The decision to make was for the Scottish Government and they have done so in a way which we respect but which is absolutely according to the constitution of this country"

The Foreign Secretary continued:

“The account that has been discussed over the last two weeks is first of all was the Scottish administration doing its constitutional duty in the right way - point one yes.”

SNP MSP Michael Matheson said:

“This is a further humiliation for Iain Gray and Richard Baker.

“It is not just the evidence that undercuts Labour’s arguments it is their own Foreign Secretary.

“The UK Government is clear that they respect what the Scottish Government has done and the way in which it was done.

“Mr Miliband confirmed this morning that neither he nor Gordon Brown had wanted Mr Megrahi to die in a Scottish jail and he has confirmed that in his view the Scottish Government acted “in the right way”.

“Labour have spent two weeks concocting arguments only for David Miliband and Gordon Brown to pull the rug from under them.

"Iain Gray and Richard Baker’s complaints are exposed as nothing more than empty political posturing."

GRAY FAILS REFERENDUM TEST TEN TIMES

POLL SHOWS INCREASING SUPPORT FOR INDEPENDENCE

Figures released in a BBC ICM poll show an increasing number of voters favouring Scotland’s independence as a majority of voters call for a referendum on independence and on full taxation powers for the Scottish Parliament. The results are released as Labour leader Iain Gray refused
ten times in an interview to support a referendum or to explain his opposition.

SNP Business Convenor Angus Robertson welcomed the results which show 42% of people in favour of the Scottish Parliament negotiating on a settlement with the Government of the United Kingdom so that Scotland becomes an independent state – an increase of 7% on the same poll conducted in 2007.

The poll also shows a clear majority, 57% in favour of a referendum to decide Scotland’s constitutional future.

When asked on this morning’s Good Morning Scotland Labour leader in the Scottish Parliament Iain Gray was asked ten times if the Scottish public should have the right to decide Scotland’s constitutional future in a referendum and refused to allow the people their say.

Mr Robertson said;

“Ten years ago the Scottish Parliament reconvened at the wish of the Scottish people.

“A decade later, for Labour to deny the people of Scotland their right to decide, not just once, but ten times in one interview shows an appalling lack of respect for the Scottish public and the principle that Scotland’s sovereignty lies with the people.

“Today’s poll figures are incredibly encouraging as they show people increasingly turning toward the SNP and Scottish independence with those in favour of negotiating for Scotland’s independence continuing to increase.

“The Scottish Government’s National Conversation has put the public at the heart of the debate over Scotland’s future.

“As we mark ten years of devolution this poll shows the clear desire of the Scottish public for the Scottish Parliament to take more responsibility and for the Scottish people to have their say over
Scotland’s constitutional future.”

SNP CELEBRATE HISTORIC ELECTION VICTORY

PARTY WOULD WIN AT LEAST 27 WESTMINSTER SEATS ON EURO RESULT

The results of the European elections would mean that the SNP would win at least 27 seats at the next Westminster elections, according to an analysis using the Electoral Calculus model, and reinforcing the SNP’s position as the leading party in Scotland.

A national extrapolation of today’s historic result would result in the following number of MPs in Scotland:

SNP - 27
Lab - 15
Tory - 7
LD - 9

In reality, the SNP could do even better. For example, the national extrapolation gives Stirling to the Tories – whereas the SNP won the Stirling Council area in the European elections.

Other highlights from the European elections result in Scotland are:

* The first time the SNP has ever won a UK-wide election in Scotland.

* This is the best result for any party in Scotland in a Euro election since PR was introduced - the previous high point was Labour at just over 28% in 1999.

* Labour’s share of the vote in Scotland is their worst since the 1910 General Election.

* The SNP vote in Scotland is higher than the Official Opposition Tory vote across the UK - 29.1% for the SNP compared to 28.6% for the UK Tories.

The SNP also…

* …won 22 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities – a historic first

* …won in East Lothian – where the seat of Iain Gray - Scottish Parliamentary Labour leader – is located

* …topped the poll in Edinburgh South West - seat of the Chancellor Alistair Darling

* …beat Labour into third place in East Renfrewshire by coming second – the seat of Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy

* …was just 2.8% behind Labour in Glasgow – one of only two councils controlled by a majority Labour administration

Commenting on the analysis and the overall result, SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond said:

“The Westminster analysis shows how historic this result is for the SNP. Not only are we up 10 points from the last European election, but for the first time ever we have won a UK-wide election in Scotland. We have also won with a much greater margin of victory than even the Holyrood win two years ago.

“A projection of winning at least 27 Westminster seats is an excellent springboard for the SNP in the run-up to the General Election – which should come sooner rather than later. The key to delivering a strong Scottish voice at Westminster – as in the European Parliament – is a strong SNP vote, and a block of 20 MPs.

“Labour MPs must now be quaking in their boots at the prospect of the SNP winning across their former heartlands.”

The SNP's Euro Campaign Manager Joe FitzPatrick said:

"This result was a massive vote of confidence in the SNP Government, and a rejection of Labour. It shows more people than ever before believe the SNP is on their side, and that voting SNP works.

"We are witnessing a tale of two governments - the SNP under Alex Salmond is demonstrating competence, credibility and success, while Gordon Brown's government dithers its way from crisis to crisis as the Labour Party's vote disintegrates.

“The people of Scotland like what they get from the SNP Government – investment in jobs and services, and action to fight recession, and want more powers for the Scottish Parliament so that we can do even more.

“This is Labour’s lowest share of the vote in Scotland since BEFORE World War 1 and the emergence of the modern Labour Party. And it is an extremely poor result for both the Tories and the Lib Dems, who along with Labour have gone into reverse from the last European election.

“The SNP have won all over Scotland – north, south, east and west - including in Alistair Darling’s seat, in Iain Gray’s seat, and we beat Labour into third place in Jim Murphy’s seat. Of the 32 local authority areas, the SNP have won 22 - an astonishing achievement.”