Scottish independence: Curran ‘negative’ SNP claim

The Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran yesterday claimed that the SNP was using a “negative” argument by claiming that the best way to get rid of the Conservative Government was by voting for independence.

Ms Curran said that the best way of getting the Tories out of power was by voting Labour in the General Election rather than breaking up the United Kingdom.

In a speech in Edinburgh, the MP for Glasgow East said: “Instead of providing a positive vision, the Nationalists are increasingly reliant on a negative argument that says the best way to get rid of a Government is to end a country.

“For them, it’s a movement from vision to tactics. The playbook for the SNP’s campaign now only goes as far as a belief that people hate the UK Government enough to break up the United Kingdom.”

Ms Curran claimed that Britain had worked for Scotland, adding: “It’s a curious argument from the SNP that says we should be in all other unions except the one on our own doorstep. It is the cul-de-sac of nationalism that gets you into such blinkered thinking.

“The truth is that if the partnership between our nations didn’t exist, then someone would have to invent it.”