Scottish independence: No campaign in danger of being seen as ‘anti-Scottish’

By ANDREW WHITAKER
Published on 11/08/2012 02:12

FORMER First Minister Henry McLeish has warned that the campaign against Scottish independence is in danger of being seen as “anti-Scottish” as he claimed it was “made in Westminster” by the UK party leaders.

Mr McLeish made the strongly worded attack on the Better Together campaign ahead of the publication of Scotland the Growing Divide, a new book on the 13 years of devolution and the independence referendum.

He went on to say that Scottish Labour was facing an “agonising problem” and in real danger of being out of power for a generation as he called on the party to back a second question on more powers for Holyrood in the 2014 referendum.

Mr McLeish also uses his book to say that Labour was wrong line up with the Conservatives in the Better Together campaign and that it should instead align itself with the Scottish Lib Dems in campaigning for stronger economic powers for Holyrood.

Mr McLeish, speaking ahead of the book’s publication next month, said: “The unionist parties have had five wasted years since 2007 and the seismic victory of the SNP – something that was reinforced by the SNP defying the laws of electoral politics last year.

“The complacency of the Better Together campaign could have very serious consequences over the next two years. There are dangers that the ‘made in Westminster’ tag becomes anti-Scottish.”