Alistair Darling to use lecture to outline case against Scottish independence

FORMER Chancellor Alistair Darling is to deliver a keynote speech later this week on Scotland’s place within the UK when he is expected to set out more details of the case against independence.

Mr Darling, who is the leader of the anti-independence Better Together campaign, is to give the John P Mackintosh Memorial Lecture to commemorate the late MP for Berwick and East Lothian, who died in 1978 at the age of 48 and who was a committed campaigner for a Scottish Parliament.

Previous speakers to have given the lecture have included Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former Liberal leader Lord Steel, Labour Leaders Neil Kinnock and John Smith, Scottish First Ministers Donald Dewar and Jack McConnell and Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

Mr Darling, the Labour MP for Edinburgh South West will speak on the topic of Better Together” at the event on Friday night.

Former Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray, who chairs the John P Mackintosh East Lothian Committee, welcomed Mr Darling’s latest intervention by the former Chancellor. He said: “I’m delighted to welcome the John P Mackintosh Memorial Lecture back to East Lothian. Alastair Darling is someone who is respected right across the political spectrum and I am pleased he has chosen East Lothian to give what I am sure will be a major contribution to the debate about Scotland’s future.”