Dundee West Labour
28 October 2019
Responding to Nicola Sturgeon’s Twitter thread explaining her support for the Lib Dem proposal, Scottish Labour deputy leader Lesley Laird said:
“Yet again Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are misleading the electorate about Labour’s position.
"This needs to stop.
“Throughout this Brexit debate, the SNP have increasingly said anything for the sake of opportunistic political grand standing.
"On Thursday Ian Blackford says it’s too dark to have an election in December – just two days later, he’s calling for a general election in December.
The SNP have said their position is for a public vote on Brexit for two years - and now, when it is within Parliament’s reach, they have abandoned it in favour of a shady pact with the Lib Dems.
“Ultimately this move will probably help deliver what Boris Johnson wants.
"There is clearly unrest in the SNP ranks and so there should be.
This is a bad deal for Scotland and the SNP cannot capitulate at such a crucial point.
“Labour’s priority is, and always has been, stopping a catastrophic No Deal Brexit.
"When No Deal is taken off the table, we will campaign in a general election to let the people decide on Brexit in a public vote.
“The Tories want to ditch our relationship with Europe and make Britain a tax haven in hock to Donald Trump.
"The Lib Dems have abandoned their push for a public vote, and want to revoke Article 50 without a vote – which will do nothing to resolve the country’s division.
"Now the SNP don’t want a public vote either.
"Only Labour can be trusted to deliver this and resolve the issue once and for all.”
Responding to Nicola Sturgeon’s Twitter thread explaining her support for the Lib Dem proposal, Scottish Labour deputy leader Lesley Laird said:
“Yet again Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP are misleading the electorate about Labour’s position.
"This needs to stop.
“Throughout this Brexit debate, the SNP have increasingly said anything for the sake of opportunistic political grand standing.
"On Thursday Ian Blackford says it’s too dark to have an election in December – just two days later, he’s calling for a general election in December.
The SNP have said their position is for a public vote on Brexit for two years - and now, when it is within Parliament’s reach, they have abandoned it in favour of a shady pact with the Lib Dems.
“Ultimately this move will probably help deliver what Boris Johnson wants.
"There is clearly unrest in the SNP ranks and so there should be.
This is a bad deal for Scotland and the SNP cannot capitulate at such a crucial point.
“Labour’s priority is, and always has been, stopping a catastrophic No Deal Brexit.
"When No Deal is taken off the table, we will campaign in a general election to let the people decide on Brexit in a public vote.
“The Tories want to ditch our relationship with Europe and make Britain a tax haven in hock to Donald Trump.
"The Lib Dems have abandoned their push for a public vote, and want to revoke Article 50 without a vote – which will do nothing to resolve the country’s division.
"Now the SNP don’t want a public vote either.
"Only Labour can be trusted to deliver this and resolve the issue once and for all.”