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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Blair urges 'fight for Scotland' | Blair urges 'fight for Scotland' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair has urged Labour to defend Scotland from the "constitutional nightmare" of an SNP government. | Tony Blair has urged Labour to defend Scotland from the "constitutional nightmare" of an SNP government. |
| The prime minister was addressing his last Scottish party conference in Oban, where he told activists to redouble their efforts against the Nationalists. | The prime minister was addressing his last Scottish party conference in Oban, where he told activists to redouble their efforts against the Nationalists. |
| He said that without Labour, Scotland would never have seen the success it had over the past 10 years. | He said that without Labour, Scotland would never have seen the success it had over the past 10 years. |
| However, the SNP said Mr Blair was "a crushing liability" for his party's Holyrood election campaign. | However, the SNP said Mr Blair was "a crushing liability" for his party's Holyrood election campaign. |
| Mr Blair led the attack on independence in his speech while First Minister Jack McConnell will use his address on Saturday to concentrate on his own policy agenda. | Mr Blair led the attack on independence in his speech while First Minister Jack McConnell will use his address on Saturday to concentrate on his own policy agenda. |
| The reason I detest this narrow nationalism is not because it engenders fear, but because it squanders hope Tony BlairPrime Minister | The reason I detest this narrow nationalism is not because it engenders fear, but because it squanders hope Tony BlairPrime Minister |
| The prime minister warned against a "constitutional nightmare" where the UK turns in on itself. | The prime minister warned against a "constitutional nightmare" where the UK turns in on itself. |
| He stressed that the choice in next May's election would be between a Labour government or an SNP one which plans to introduce an independence bill within 100 days. | He stressed that the choice in next May's election would be between a Labour government or an SNP one which plans to introduce an independence bill within 100 days. |
| Mr Blair told party members: "Already they are publishing plans for separation - separate currency, separate pensions and social security systems, leaving Nato." | Mr Blair told party members: "Already they are publishing plans for separation - separate currency, separate pensions and social security systems, leaving Nato." |
| He went on: "The fact they are saying it and with utter precision shows they are deadly serious and would do it." | He went on: "The fact they are saying it and with utter precision shows they are deadly serious and would do it." |
| The choice for voters was portrayed by Mr Blair as between "the basest metal of politics, the politics of grievance" and "the politics of progress". | The choice for voters was portrayed by Mr Blair as between "the basest metal of politics, the politics of grievance" and "the politics of progress". |
| "The reason I detest this narrow nationalism is not because it engenders fear, but because it squanders hope," he said. | "The reason I detest this narrow nationalism is not because it engenders fear, but because it squanders hope," he said. |
| Rallying the faithful for the coming election campaign, he urged delegates to go out with the message that Labour had delivered for Scotland as part of the United Kingdom. | Rallying the faithful for the coming election campaign, he urged delegates to go out with the message that Labour had delivered for Scotland as part of the United Kingdom. |
| This failing, discredited prime minister is now on his last legs Alex SalmondSNP leader | This failing, discredited prime minister is now on his last legs Alex SalmondSNP leader |
| Before Mr Blair made his speech, the SNP published details of a poll it had commissioned from YouGov. | Before Mr Blair made his speech, the SNP published details of a poll it had commissioned from YouGov. |
| It asked 1,034 people whether they would be more or less likely to vote for Labour if Mr Blair was still prime minister at the time of the Holyrood vote. | It asked 1,034 people whether they would be more or less likely to vote for Labour if Mr Blair was still prime minister at the time of the Holyrood vote. |
| The SNP said 24% said they would be less likely to vote Labour, 7% would be more likely to vote Labour and 60% said it would make no difference. | The SNP said 24% said they would be less likely to vote Labour, 7% would be more likely to vote Labour and 60% said it would make no difference. |
| SNP leader Alex Salmond said: "This failing, discredited prime minister is now on his last legs. | SNP leader Alex Salmond said: "This failing, discredited prime minister is now on his last legs. |
| "These new figures show that his political legacy may be playing a key part in losing the 2007 Scottish election for the Labour Party." | "These new figures show that his political legacy may be playing a key part in losing the 2007 Scottish election for the Labour Party." |