SNP continues to use Connery call despite warnings

Published on Saturday 9 April 2005 02:16

SCOTTISH National Party managers insisted last night they would continue using a recording of Sir Sean Connery’s voice as a campaign tool, despite receiving an official warning that such tactics were against the rules.

The Nationalists believe the recording of Sir Sean’s voice is one of their most potent electoral weapons, and they intend to use the telephone message in a massive cold-calling exercise aimed at up to 250,000 voters.

But the legality of the SNP’s tactics has been questioned by Richard Thomas, the information commissioner.

In a letter to Iain Smith, the head of the Scottish Liberal Democrats election campaign, Mr Thomas said: "Although there is nothing to say that the SNP has not got the consent of the people it intends to contact, I have written to remind the party that without consent, such calls contravene the regulations."

Mr Smith said: "I think it very unlikely that the SNP has the prior permission of the 500,000 Scots they claim were to receive the pre-recorded message. The information commissioner has confirmed our belief that such calls, without prior consent, are illegal."

And he added: "In his guidance to political parties, the information commissioner goes further, making it crystal clear that such calls are unacceptable. Many individuals consider such calls to be extremely intrusive and even disturbing.

"If the SNP are still making these calls, they should stop. If they do not it could prove costly, as they can be heavily fined for every complaint they receive."

It is understood that the SNP could be fined 5,000 for each complaint made by a member of the public who objects to getting a call from Sir Sean.

A senior SNP source said the Nationalists were not worried by the commissioner’s warning, and would go on using the recorded message.