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Scottish Labour's Dugdale pledges to work 'tirelessly' for union | Scottish Labour's Dugdale pledges to work 'tirelessly' for union |
(35 minutes later) | |
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has pledged to work tirelessly in support of the union if there were to be a second independence referendum. | |
She made her promise during a speech to her party conference. | |
Ms Dugdale said that the country still bore the scars of the September 2014 vote. | |
Earlier, the Perth gathering heard UK Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson talk of his "huge disappointment" at not winning the Stoke by-election. | |
Ms Dugdale has reaffirmed her party's opposition to a second referendum. | |
She added that she was ready to "step up and make the case for the union" once again, if the SNP broke its vow to not hold another contest. | |
The MSP argued that Labour's "historic values can endure even under this greatest threat" and that it will "always put the people of this country first". | |
'Time Sturgeon changed her tune' | 'Time Sturgeon changed her tune' |
Ms Dugdale's speech comes a day after the party adopted a policy in favour of a federal UK. | Ms Dugdale's speech comes a day after the party adopted a policy in favour of a federal UK. |
She added: "The Labour Party I lead will never support independence. | |
"It's not an escape from Tory rule, it's not an escape from Brexit, it's not an alternative, it's the same old song that the SNP has been singing for decades. | "It's not an escape from Tory rule, it's not an escape from Brexit, it's not an alternative, it's the same old song that the SNP has been singing for decades. |
"It's time Nicola Sturgeon changed her tune. | "It's time Nicola Sturgeon changed her tune. |
"I want the first minister of Scotland to focus on the Scottish NHS, on our economy and on our schools. I don't want a first minister whose priority is the constitution." | "I want the first minister of Scotland to focus on the Scottish NHS, on our economy and on our schools. I don't want a first minister whose priority is the constitution." |
Ahead of Ms Dugdale's speech, Mr Watson told members gathered: "All of us with leadership roles in the Labour Party need to have a long hard look at ourselves at what's not working. Seven years into a Tory government we should not be facing questions about whether we can retain seats we already hold. | |
"Our job at the next general election is to gain over 100 seats - keeping what we have is supposed to be the easy bit and here in Scotland you have seen what happened when Labour's long standing supporters stop voting Labour. | |
"We cannot afford to have that happening in England too." |