SNP NEGOTIATING TEAM TO START TALKS

SNP NEGOTIATING TEAM TO START TALKS

BALANCED PARLIAMENT “MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR SCOTLAND”

Senior figures from the SNP will today (Sunday) travel to London to meet
with UK Government officials in the first step towards negotiations with
the parties seeking to the form the next UK Government.

The offer of civil service support to all political parties represented at
Westminster was made by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown early on Friday.
As no clear governing arrangement has emerged, the SNP took up this offer.

SNP Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP and SNP Westminster Depute
Leader Stewart Hosie MP will attend a meeting in Whitehall in the late
afternoon where they will discuss the mechanics of negotiations and
request information necessary to support these negotiations.

Commenting, Angus Robertson said:

"A balanced parliament is redolent with opportunity for Scotland. At the
start of the General Election campaign, the SNP and Plaid Cymru pledged to
fight for the best deal for Scotland and for Wales.

"We now find ourselves in a position to make real gains for Scotland.
Working together, we will use our votes and experience of negotiating in a
balanced parliament to maximum effect to take Scotland and Wales forward.
Our meeting today is the first step toward achieving this.

"The assumption by some that the only option now available for a new UK
Government is a Tory-Liberal pact is not correct. There are alternatives
and far more progressive outcomes available should politicians have the
will to seize the moment."