DEBATES - TRIDENT DEMONSTRATES IMPORTANCE OF SCOTTISH VOICE

DEBATES - TRIDENT DEMONSTRATES IMPORTANCE OF SCOTTISH VOICE

SNP POSTER PROMOTES A REAL DEBATE IN SCOTLAND

Previewing this evening's leaders' debate on SKY, from which Scotland's
voice has been excluded, SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson said while
huge areas of last week’s debate were irrelevant to Scotland tonight’s
debate would be very relevant and demonstrated why it was wrong to exclude
the SNP and Plaid Cymru from the debate.

The SNP also revealed the party’s latest poster urging voters to watch a
real debate on Sunday as the party highlighted key views that will be
missing from tonight’s debate.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Mr Robertson said:

“The last debate covered huge areas not relevant to Scotland.

“This debate is very relevant and the subject matter demonstrates why the
SNP and Plaid should be represented.

“Trident will be at the heart of tonight’s debate and the Labour and Tory
plans to spend £100 billion on new nuclear weapons of mass destruction and
the Lib Dems costly alternative will be allowed to pass without question.

“The presence of voices from Scotland and Wales would not only make a
better debate but would be a more accurate reflection for the public of
the reality of the situation with the SNP there to argue the alternative
position.

“Following the debate the SNP will with our partners Plaid Cymru set out
the real alternative to the London parties nuclear future at an event in
London tomorrow.

“It is all the more ironic that, as it becomes clear voters are looking
for alternatives to the Westminster machine, those alternatives are
directly excluded from the debate.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s debate, Mr Robertson said:

“Instead of the sterile format and cosy consensus in tonight’s debate,
viewers across the UK can see a real debate on Sunday from Scotland.

“Instead of the phoney war they will hear an alternative to the broken
Westminster machine and the potential a balanced parliament offers for
Scotland.”

The SNP also presented a series of view points that will be missing from
tonight’s debate as a result of the closed shop debate.

Viewers will not hear

• Opposition to the renewal of the UK’s nuclear weapons system and the
continued spending of billions every year on maintaining Trident nuclear
weapons

• The party of Government responsible for passing the world’s strongest
climate change legislation - praised internationally - with a 42% carbon
emission reduction target by 2050 – stronger than the UK’s target and that
has a partnership with the Maldives, one of the nation’s most at threat
from Climate Change.

• The role an independent Scotland could play in Europe and the world.

• The views of the SNP as the party which led opposition to the illegal
invasion of Iraq, including leading the Parliamentary debate which forced
the Labour government to concede an eventual inquiry – the Chilcott
inquiry.

• A party committed to meeting the 0.7% GDP for international development
target and that in Government has doubled our own aid commitments
including support for Malawi through Scotland’s partnership with that
country.