Independence 'will be gift to terrorists and illegal immigrants'

Story in full BREAKING up the Union would leave Scotland vulnerable to terrorist attack and a flood of illegal immigrants, John Reid, the Home Secretary, said yesterday in Labour's most scathing attack yet on the SNP.

On the last day of the Scottish Labour Party conference dominated by "Natbashing", Labour's big-hitter was brought in to try to deliver the killer blow.

Launching a vicious attack, Mr Reid accused the Nationalists of a "wrecking agenda" which would rip families apart, leave Scotland economically unstable and undermine national security.

Labour has been put on the defensive by polls showing it is trailing the SNP. The Oban conference marked the start of a fightback ahead of the Scottish parliament election in May.

Last Friday, Tony Blair set out a measured argument against independence, while Jack McConnell urged delegates to support education with Labour rather than separation with the SNP. But it was Mr Reid who went for the jugular.

As a stalwart of the Labour Party, the MP for Hamilton North and Bellshill said:

"When I hear the polls and the pollsters and the pundits tell us there is an unstoppable, inexorable march to independence, I have heard it all before. It will not demoralise us, it will spur us to greater activity."

He accused the SNP of allowing the Tories to get into office for 20 years then blaming all of Scotland's problems on the Union while refusing to back devolution until the last minute.

Referring to Alex Salmond, the leader of the SNP, and his departure from Holyrood to Westminster, Mr Reid said: "He didn't fight for the [Scottish] parliament. He didn't stay with the parliament. But now it's up and running he would like to run the parliament. Dream on."

Mr Reid said independence would effect some of the two million Scots with relatives living across the Border.

"Separation would mean hundreds of thousands of children and grandchildren, parents and grandparents, overnight becoming 'English' or 'Scottish', but not British, being forced to choose which passports to hold."

And, referring to his widely anticipated leadership bid against Gordon Brown, Mr Reid joked: "Almost one million of us Scots live and work in England - in all walks of life, up to and including the Prime Minister. And I am told the next Prime Minister might be a Scot as well."

Later, Mr Reid was given the opportunity to rule himself out of the fight for the leadership, but once again refused to do so.

He also accused the SNP of being unable to face "the challenges of the coming decade" such as the environment, organised crime, international terrorism and mass migration.

"These are the great new issues of our age in front of which narrow nationalism stands helpless," he said. "These challenges just can't be tackled by border guards at Gretna Green.

"The environment does not respect borders. Organised crime won't stop at Carlisle. Illegal immigrants will not be daunted by the River Tweed. And terrorists who refuse to distinguish between civilians and combatants aren't going to make any difference between the Scots and the English."

But Angus Robertson, the SNP's spokesman on foreign affairs, said Scotland would be safer removed from the foreign policy of a Labour government.

Instant start for community service

PETTY criminals will be sent straight from the court room out on to the streets to serve community sentences in New York-style justice that recently saw Boy George sweeping the streets, Cathy Jamieson, the justice minister, said yesterday.

Summing up Labour's policy on crime for the next election, Ms Jamieson said the focus will be on protecting communities with further use of antisocial behaviour orders, community wardens and tougher "community sentences".

"Real community justice has to be quick," she said. "I do not want to hear about offenders coming out of court then going home and waiting for weeks before starting their community sentence. Just like when offenders are sent to jail immediately, we will ensure they start their community sentence immediately too."

SNP leader is 'an old man in a hurry'

THE fight for Scotland got personal yesterday with Douglas Alexander, the Scottish Secretary, calling rival Alex Salmond, the leader of the SNP, "an old man in a hurry".

The normally mild-mannered 39-year-old MP for Paisley South launched an unprecedented attack on Mr Salmond, 51, at the close of the Scottish Labour Party Conference.

"Alex Salmond says that next May he's got a date with destiny. It's not his first. The problem is destiny keeps on standing him up. In truth, [the SNP's] 19th century philosophy of borders and barriers just doesn't make sense in a 21st century shaped by the twin forces of globalisation and interdependence. History and modernity are against him. Alex Salmond is an old man in a hurry."

Mr Salmond last night pointed out he is younger than both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Conference diary

Jack sleighs 'em

GREAT excitement among the youth of Oban when Father Christmas turned up and Jack McConnell braved the rain to switch on the Christmas lights. But which jovial character is more popular? "Aw, the man in the suit (not the red one)," said a young Obanite. "Santa comes here every year."

Healthy eating vows prove pie in the sky

DESPITE speeches bragging about improving Scotland's eating habits, the only food available at the Corran Halls was greasy pasties and a stale egg sandwich.

The cholesterol does not seem to be getting to Jack McConnell. The First Minister had his blood pressure checked and was told it was "normal". It must have been dangerously low before the conference then.

Foundation course

OVERHEARD: STV's Bernard Ponsonby giving the First Minister tips on how to wear make-up.

Apparently it's all down to ensuring you have a good base. Not when you're broadcasting in the rain boys ...