General Election 2010: Scotland has been 'betrayed' by Labour rule, says Clegg

Published on Tuesday 4 May 2010 22:57

NICK Clegg last night claimed that generations of Labour rule had "betrayed" the people of Scotland, as he addressed a rally in the Glasgow North constituency.

• Nick Clegg taking part in a radio phone-in. Picture: PA

The Liberal Democrats' leader urged Glaswegians to desert Gordon Brown's party and condemned Labour suggestions that the electorate should vote tactically to keep the Tories out, saying it was a sign of "despair" from a "desperate" party.

With just one more full day of campaigning left before polling day, Mr Clegg made a flying visit to the Woodside Community Centre in Maryhill, where the Labour candidate, Ann McKechin, is defending a majority of 3,338 from the Lib Dems.

"For those of you in this great city, who come from families who have supported the Labour Party for generations, it was not just a cross on the ballot box," he said. "It was part of who you were, and I think you have been let down. I think you have been taken for granted.

"I know it is very difficult to break the habit of generations, and it can feel like betrayal. But it is not a betrayal of Labour; Labour has betrayed you."

Mr Clegg said that Labour was responsible for the "illegal" invasion of Iraq, the destruction of civil liberties "on an industrial scale" and the fact that a child born in the poorest parts of Glasgow has a life expectancy that is a decade and a half shorter than a child born in Kensington.

Mr Clegg refused to be drawn on suggestions that he would be prepared to drop his demand for electoral reform so he could go into government with David Cameron. Reports had suggested yesterday that the key Lib Dem policy could no longer be a deal-breaker during the talks required to set up a Tory/Lib Dem coalition.

But Mr Clegg said he remained committed to his four key demands for reform of the voting system, turning round the economy, revamping education and fairer taxes.

"I have never gone into speculation about deals that aren't being struck, negotiations that have not been conducted and a campaign that has not yet been concluded," he said.

"First, let people have their say, and I have always said, if the British people decide that no party deserves an outright majority we should be big enough to talk to each other to provide a good stable government you deserve, and at least you know from me what our priorities are."

With the Lib Dem candidate, Katy Gordon, by his side, Mr Clegg was also joined by Jo Swinson, the Lib Dem defending East Dunbartonshire.

He was visiting a part of Scotland with strong connections with centrist politics. Part of the constituency was Hillhead, which was once represented by the former chancellor Roy Jenkins as an SDP MP.

Immigration has proved a controversial area for the Lib Dems during this campaign, and after he spoke with 250 activists and supporters, Mr Clegg distanced himself from remarks by his home affairs spokesman, Tom Brake, earlier yesterday that the Lib Dems would "trial" their regional migration policy in Scotland.

Mr Clegg said: "We are not going to trial our regional approach to immigration in Scotland.

"In a sense, it is almost the reverse. We want to take inspiration from what you've already done in Scotland, because we think that was a good example of a part of the United Kingdom trying to encourage people to come and settle here, while other regions may want to discourage them."