Salmond mocks rival Gray as the 'minister for trams'

Published on Tuesday 22 March 2011 15:50

ALEX Salmond has kicked off the SNP's Holyrood election campaign by labelling Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray "the minister for trams".

&#149 Iain Gray

At a rally of SNP candidates and activists in Our Dynamic Earth less than an hour after the Scottish Parliament ended its third four-year session, the First Minister reminded his audience of Mr Gray's role as Transport Minister in the first parliament.

He said: "Some people think my political opponent for First Minister has no track record whatsoever. Let's remember, this man had ministerial office in a Labour-Lib Dem coalition.

"As Minister for Transport between May 2002 and May 2003, he didn't decide to commission the Forth road bridge, but he did start the Edinburgh tram project by promising it 375 million. Iain Gray, the minister for trams."

Mr Salmond claimed the SNP was "within touching distance" of the 40 per cent support he believes necessary to win and said the party had "everything to gain" from the campaign. He hailed its "100 achievements" during four years in government.

He told the rally: "We will be proud to stand on the record of this first SNP administration."

He mocked Labour's policy switches, noting its pledge cards had been changed to include the long-standing SNP policies of free university education and a freeze on the council tax.

"Imitation may be the best form of flattery, but no-one in this election will trust Labour one iota," he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Gray launched a 48-hour tour of "battleground" seats, going first to the key Edinburgh Eastern constituency, where former council leader Ewan Aitken is taking on Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill. Mr Gray visited several shops in Portobello High Street with Cllr Aitken in what Labour is describing as a "doorstep"election.

A spokesman for Mr Gray dismissed Mr Salmond's attack on his record as a minister.

He said: "Iain Gray also signed off the Edinburgh and Glasgow airport rail links which were then cancelled because of the SNP's short-sightedness and lack of vision. The SNP-Lib Dem council has mishandled the tram project, but many people in the business community see the long-term benefits, as do many ordinary Edinburghers."

Scottish Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott went campaigning in Edinburgh Central with candidate Alex Cole-Hamilton, who is standing against Labour's Sarah Boyack.

Today, he was due to be in Edinburgh Southern with candidate Mike Pringle.

A "poll of polls" by Weber Shandwick puts Labour on 42 per cent in the constituency vote, the SNP on 34 per cent, Conservatives on 12 per cent and Lib Dems on nine per cent.

In the regional vote, Labour was on 40 per cent, the SNP on 33 per cent, Tories on 12 per cent, Lib Dems on eight per cent and the Greens on four per cent.

Translated into seats, Labour would come out on top with 60 seats, just five seats short of an overall majority, while the SNP would take 46.