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Johann Lamont attacks 'cynical' SNP | Johann Lamont attacks 'cynical' SNP |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont has used her speech at the party's annual conference to attack the "cynicism" of the Scottish government. | Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont has used her speech at the party's annual conference to attack the "cynicism" of the Scottish government. |
Ms Lamont said the SNP administration saw the austerity policies of the UK government as a "political opportunity" rather than an affront to families. | Ms Lamont said the SNP administration saw the austerity policies of the UK government as a "political opportunity" rather than an affront to families. |
She told delegates in Brighton they would rather exploit people's misery than take measures to correct it. | She told delegates in Brighton they would rather exploit people's misery than take measures to correct it. |
Ms Lamont said she looked forward to independence being defeated next year. | Ms Lamont said she looked forward to independence being defeated next year. |
The Scottish Labour leader said the SNP were behaving more like a "reckless opposition" than a responsible government, refusing to help people struggling because of UK Coalition welfare cuts. | The Scottish Labour leader said the SNP were behaving more like a "reckless opposition" than a responsible government, refusing to help people struggling because of UK Coalition welfare cuts. |
"Content to ensure that all those who could be protected are not helped because that would show devolution working," she said. | "Content to ensure that all those who could be protected are not helped because that would show devolution working," she said. |
"If they allowed devolution to do what it is meant to do they would not achieve their only real ambition to separate Scotland from the United Kingdom." | "If they allowed devolution to do what it is meant to do they would not achieve their only real ambition to separate Scotland from the United Kingdom." |
Corrodes politics | Corrodes politics |
Ms Lamont added: "For the Nationalists, the misery of the people is not a wrong to be corrected, it is a chance to be exploited. | Ms Lamont added: "For the Nationalists, the misery of the people is not a wrong to be corrected, it is a chance to be exploited. |
"For them grievance is not to be addressed, it is to be nurtured. | "For them grievance is not to be addressed, it is to be nurtured. |
"That cynicism, that calculation, to leave families suffering now as a price worth paying if it translates into votes next September. | "That cynicism, that calculation, to leave families suffering now as a price worth paying if it translates into votes next September. |
"It is a cynicism which corrodes our politics." | "It is a cynicism which corrodes our politics." |
She said that in private the SNP questioned the affordability of pensions yet in public they "said what needed to be said to get them over the line". | She said that in private the SNP questioned the affordability of pensions yet in public they "said what needed to be said to get them over the line". |
Ms Lamont also attacked the Scottish government for creating too many "historic days" marking the run-up to the referendum on 18 September 2014. | Ms Lamont also attacked the Scottish government for creating too many "historic days" marking the run-up to the referendum on 18 September 2014. |
She told conference: "I look forward to coming back after the historic day next year when Scotland renews its embrace of the United Kingdom and makes the politics of narrow nationalism a thing of history." | She told conference: "I look forward to coming back after the historic day next year when Scotland renews its embrace of the United Kingdom and makes the politics of narrow nationalism a thing of history." |
Meanwhile, Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran told her party's conference that Labour will not be broken up by Alex Salmond. | |
Ms Curran said that if the first minister got his way, an independent Scotland would ultimately mean the end the British Labour party. | |
She also claimed the SNP leader was putting the interests of his party ahead of those of the Scottish people. | |
Ms Curran said: "If the SNP have their way, their plan will mean the break-up of the British Labour Party after 113 years. | |
"I want to send a clear message from this conference: That after 113 years, Alex Salmond is not going to bring our movement to an end." |
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