REFERENDUM – LABOUR POLICY IS BACK TO “BRING IT ON”

REFERENDUM – LABOUR POLICY IS BACK TO “BRING IT ON”

PARTY’S CONSTITUTIONAL SPOKESPERSON SAYS “NAME THE DAY”

AND TORIES WANT TO BRING IT ON IN WALES BUT NOT SCOTLAND

Welcoming the remarks made by Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Minister for Culture and the Constitution, Pauline McNeill, at today’s First Minister’s Questions where she called on the Scottish Government to “name the day” for a referendum on Scotland’s constitutional future, SNP MSP Dr Alasdair Allan said Labour were back to their 2008 confusion caused by Wendy Alexander’s “Bring it on” statement – when Labour changed their position three times in three months between opposing, then supporting, and then opposing a referendum again.

Commenting, Dr Allan said:

“By reviving Wendy Alexander’s call for a referendum on Scotland’s future, Pauline McNeill – their Shadow Cabinet Minister for the Constitution – has backed the Labour Party into a constitutional corner again.

"She has left Labour with the position that they should now back the Scottish Government's Referendum Bill.

"With Labour supporting constitutional referendums for Wales on more powers and for the UK on electoral reform, the position of Labour in Scotland not only looks untenable but, on the basis of Pauline McNeill’s comments, utterly confused.”

Dr Allan also commented on the lack of consistency from the Tories who are opposing a referendum on Scotland’s constitutional position but saying Labour should stop “dithering” and just get on with one in Wales. Dr Allan said:

“The Tories want to ‘bring it on’ to have a referendum on more powers for Wales, but oppose the right of the people of Scotland to have a say on their future. The Tory position looks just as confused and ridiculous as Labour’s new stance.

“And the Liberal Democrats are split in Scotland, with Tavish Scott saying on his first day in post as Lib Dem leader in Scotland they he is not opposed in principle to a constitutional referendum.

“The London parties are at sixes and sevens about the right of the people of Scotland to have a say on their future – no wonder none of their Holyrood leaders dared raise the issue at First Minister’s Questions.”