Tony Blair dismisses SNP's 'flimsy' economic case for independence

Key quote

"It is not just that economic competence is vital for the prosperity of families and society as a whole. It's also that the rest of your programme means nothing if you can't afford to fund it" - TONY BLAIR

Story in full TONY Blair today launches an all-out Labour offensive against the Scottish National Party, amid growing Labour discord about how to approach next May's crucial Holyrood elections.

Writing in The Scotsman, the Prime Minister attempts to dismiss the nationalists as lacking any real programme for government and making "the flimsiest of economic cases" for independence.

But in a sign of the differing views at the top of the Labour Party, Mr Blair's ridicule of the SNP coincides with a very different warning from Jack McConnell.

"There is a real possibility that the nationalists could win in May and could take Scotland to the brink of independence," the First Minister told the BBC last night.

Some senior Labour figures in London worry that Mr McConnell, who is keen to mobilise core Labour voters, has not done enough to quash talk of independence by making a positive case for the Union.

Mr Blair's article today, which comes ahead of Labour's Scottish conference in Oban starting tomorrow, is clearly intended to demonstrate how the Prime Minister thinks Labour should fight the nationalists.

A Scotsman/ICM poll earlier this month startled Downing Street by putting support for independence at 51 per cent, and Mr Blair believes his party must do more to "sell" the current constitutional settlement to Scots voters.

In his article, Mr Blair declares that "the future is rosy" for Scotland, with economic growth, low unemployment and public services benefiting from "huge extra investment".

He adds: "So it seems a strange time to want to smash apart a union which is serving Scotland, and the rest of the UK, so well. It's certainly bewildering to set out on such a course on the flimsiest of economic cases."

The Prime Minister draws pointed contrasts between the discipline Labour adopted when drawing up its policies in opposition in the 1990s and the SNP's approach to the prospect of forming the next Scottish Executive, which he says lacks the economic credibility needed to persuade voters.

"It is not just that economic competence is vital for the prosperity of families and society as a whole. It's also that the rest of your programme means nothing if you can't afford to fund it," Mr Blair writes.

"In opposition, Gordon Brown and I put such a strong emphasis on establishing Labour's economic credibility when we were seeking to win the trust of the electorate."

In his speech to Labour activists in Oban tomorrow, Mr Blair will target recent SNP claims that North Sea oil would make an independent Scotland wealthier than it is today. In fact, he will argue, an independent Scotland could be significantly poorer, something he says would directly affect public services.

"The biggest challenge for the SNP is not showing how separation will enable them to spend more, as they say they will. It's how they will continue to find the cash to match Labour's spending now," the Prime Minister writes.

Mr Blair's aggressive stance will raise expectations that Labour will again adopt the tactics of the first Scottish Parliament elections, when voters were warned: "Divorce is an expensive business."

Despite the ferocity of Mr Blair's attacks, the SNP is likely to declare itself well pleased with the Prime Minister's intervention. Alex Salmond, the nationalist leader, insists that the more Mr Blair attacks his party, the more popular support for the SNP grows.

Mr Salmond yesterday taunted Mr Blair in the Commons, asking: "Is he aware that every time he attacks the SNP, support for Scottish independence soars to new, unprecedented levels? Will he promise to launch another furious assault on us?"

I want to serve a full third term as First Minister, declares McConnell

JACK McConnell last night tried to quash speculation about his future as First Minister, insisting that he wants to serve a full third term.

Mr McConnell used a television interview to declare that if Labour remains in charge of the Scottish Executive after the May election, then he would want to serve a full, four-year term as First Minister.

Mr McConnell had ignited speculation about his position with a weekend interview in which he admitted he has asked himself whether continuing in the job for another four years was worth the strain it would place on his family.

"On the issue of the third term in the parliament, I want to be First Minister for that third term," he told the BBC's Newsnight yesterday.

"I will be competing for the position of First Minister on the basis of wanting a full term."

Rumours circulating in Labour circles have recently suggested that Mr McConnell might be preparing to step down and possibly even seek a Westminster seat.

Last night, however, he committed himself to Scotland for the foreseeable future.

"I am absolutely clear of my ambitions for Scotland in the third term of the Scottish parliament, developing the education system to be amongst the very best in the world again," he said.

• SNP case for separatism doesn't add up