Commons 'English Votes for English Laws' Vote a Humiliation for Government

TORIES FAIL TO VOTE FOR THEIR OWN PROPOSAL
Commenting on the vote in the House of Commons on an emergency motion about English Votes for English Laws (EVEL) - in which the government abstained instead of supporting the position that they have "considered" the matter properly - SNP Shadow Leader of the House Pete Wishart MP said:

"The Tory Government have been humiliated over their own 'EVEL' proposals - showing just how vulnerable to defeat this measure is, and how precarious is the government's position with their wafer thin majority.

"The Tories' policy is in meltdown - the Government themselves didn't even vote in favour of their own handling of English Votes for English Laws. The only conclusion that can be drawn is that the Tories knew they were staring defeat in the face.

"As well as revealing how exposed the Tory government is, this debate also underlined how the Tories want to treat Scotland - reducing Scottish representation to second-class status, which is a democratic disgrace."

Labour Lord Prefers Tory-Labour Coalition Over Deal with SNP to Keep Tories Out

PRO-TORY ATTITUDE PERVASIVE THROUGHOUT THE LABOUR PARTY
The SNP has today challenged Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy on whether he agrees with Labour Lord Lewis Moonie, who has said that he would prefer a coalition with the Tories to a deal with the SNP.

Baron Moonie, a Labour MP between 1987 and 2005, and a former Defence Minister, tweeted that a coalition with the Tories "would be better than one with the SNP".

This follows Robert James McNeill, who at the time of posting was a member of Labour’s Scottish Policy Forum and Vice-Chair of East Lothian Constituency Labour Party, promoting on Twitter that Labour voters in 16 Scottish constituencies should vote for the Tories or Lib Dems.

Commenting, SNP MP Pete Wishart said:

“This pro-Tory attitude seems to be pervasive throughout the Labour Party in Scotland - having been hand in glove with the Tories for two-and-a-half years in No campaign.

“No wonder more people in Scotland now trust the SNP rather than Labour to keep out the Tories. The SNP will never do a deal that puts the Tories back into power - by contrast, both at Westminster and in Scotland, senior Labour figures are cuddling up to the Tories and suggesting working with them.

“The call by a member of Labour's Policy Forum for people in Scotland to vote for more Tory MPs at the General Election was a major headache for Jim Murphy - and now it is even worse with a Labour Lord saying he backs a coalition with the Tories in preference to working with the SNP. Labour's General Election campaign in Scotland is in meltdown.

“Unless Jim Murphy publicly distances himself from Baron Moonie’s preferred coalition with the Tories, the only conclusion people in Scotland will be able to draw is that he too advocates cuddling up to the Tories - which would make the re-election of David Cameron more likely. That is why it is vital that people in Scotland vote SNP - to get rid of the Tories, and give Scotland a strong voice at Westminster.

“The key issue in May is who will best represent the people of Scotland - and the General Election is a wonderful opportunity for Scotland to have power by electing a strong team of SNP MPs to a hung parliament at Westminster.”

Labour's Murphy Challenged After Member of his Policy Forum Calls for Tory Vote

LABOUR CAMPAIGN IN SCOTLAND IMPLODES
Jim Murphy’s reverse honeymoon has continued after it emerged that a member of his policy making body has called for Labour voters to vote for the Tories and LibDems.

Robert James McNeill, who describes himself on Twitter as a member of Labour’s Scottish Policy Forum and Vice-Chair of East Lothian Constituency Labour Party, promoted on Twitter Labour voters in 16 Scottish constituencies voting for the Tories or Lib Dems.

A YouGov poll published on the 3rd of February found that 43 per cent of respondents believe the SNP is best placed to prevent another Conservative Government, compared to just 33 per cent who believe Labour is best placed to do so.

Commenting, SNP MP Pete Wishart said:

“This call by a member of Scottish Labour's Policy Forum for people to vote for more Tory MPs at the General Election is a major headache for Jim Murphy - Labour's campaign in Scotland has just imploded.

“If Jim Murphy keeps Mr McNeill in his policy post, then the only conclusion people in Scotland will be able to draw is that he too wants Labour voters to cast their votes for Tories - which makes the re-election of David Cameron more likely.

“When a senior Labour member is calling for people in Scotland to vote for the Tories, it is no wonder that far more people trust the SNP rather than Labour to keep the Tories out of government.

“The key issue in May is who will best represent the people of Scotland - the General Election is a wonderful opportunity for Scotland to have power by electing a strong team of SNP MPs to a hung parliament at Westminster.”

MP Welcomes Billy Bragg's 'Brilliant' Comments on Independence

ROCK LEGEND SEES BENEFITS FOR ENGLAND IF SCOTLAND VOTES YES

Rock legend Billy Bragg’s online comments in support of a Yes vote have today been welcomed by SNP MP Pete Wishart.

Following David Cameron’s bumbling intervention yesterday, Billy Bragg tweeted:

“Alex Salmond is right ‘Cameron doesn't speak for England, he speaks for a Westminster elite’ Go for it, Scotland #Indy"

He also posted on his Facebook page:

“I'm in favour of Scottish independence because I believe that it is ultimately about accountability, as is socialism. If the Scots leave, we in England will need to make some big constitutional changes. If a new English parliament or regional assemblies are created, they will surely use proportional representation and, as a result, we will have greater choice at the ballot box."

Pete Wishart MP said:

“These are really brilliant comments from a rock legend who is a long time campaigner for social justice.

“Billy – like a growing number of people in the countries and regions of these islands – is supportive of Scottish independence and what it will mean for the people of England.

“Only a Yes vote can deliver Scotland the powers that it needs to build a fairer country and help rebalance the democratic and economic deficit that currently exists across these islands under the Westminster system.

“As a Panelbase poll from the end of last year a shows a Yes result in Scotland's referendum can have a positive effect on the debate south of the border about the case for shifting powers away from Westminster to the regions of England.

“A Yes vote will ensure Scotland is an economic powerhouse with our future in our own hands – but an independent Scotland will also be a powerful economic counterweight to the dominance of London and south-east England, which will also help the rest of England and the UK become a more balanced and fairer society.

"It was of course the Westminster Business Secretary Vince Cable who said last month that London 'is becoming a giant suction machine draining the life out of the rest of the country'."

Lib Dem Back-Slapping Hides Reality of Continued Child Detention

The SNP said the Liberal Democrats are celebrating a job half-done on child detention, as Home Office figures show the number of children being detained doubled in the last year.

The Liberal-Democrat conference agenda today (Sunday) includes a presentation with Nick Clegg MP “to celebrate the Liberal Democrat achievement in government of ending child detention for immigration purposes."

Home Office figures show the number of children entering detention in the second quarter of 2012 was 60, a rise from 26 at the same time last year. The number of children held in Cedars family detention unit, set up as an ‘alternative’ to detention centres like Yarl’s Wood, rose from 11 to 37.

These figures exclude a significant number of children who arrive unaccompanied and are wrongly detained as adults, an issue raised in a report by the Refugee Council earlier this year.

SNP Home Office spokesperson Pete Wishart MP said:

“It’s an absolute scandal that the number of children being locked up in detention centres has doubled in the last year. These are families who are often fleeing violence in countries like Iran, Afghanistan or Syria – what kind of country locks children up for this?

“Nick Clegg once called child detention a ‘moral outrage’ and ‘state sponsored cruelty’ - yet now it’s on the rise under his watch. The lib-dems should be appalled that the number of children entering detention is on an upward trend, and their conference should discuss this reality not ignore it.

“The sixty children who entered detention in the last quarter won’t be joining in the celebrations this weekend. There is no excuse for putting children under lock and key, and plenty of evidence of the severe mental and physical damage which it can cause.

“The lib-dems should stop slapping themselves on the back for a job half-done and pull out all the stops to end child detention once and for all."

Conference Challenge For LibDems On Votes At 16

WILL LIBDEMS LET YOUNG PEOPLE DOWN AGAIN?
As the Liberal Democrats assemble for their spring conference, the party have been challenged to say whether they support votes for 16 and 17 year-olds in the referendum over Scotland’s constitutional future.

Senior LibDems, including the Deputy Prime Minister’s PPS Jo Swinson MP, have given their backing to the ‘Votes at 16’ week of action which begins on Monday – but there is confusion over whether the party will back Scottish Government proposals to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote in the referendum.

Labour and Lib Dem MPs and MSPs including the Leader of the Lib Dems Nick Clegg, the Deputy leaders of both parties in Scotland and the Shadow Scottish Secretary Margaret Curran have given their support to the Votes at 16 campaign and the Lib Dems, who voted with the SNP to introduce votes at 16 in Scotland’s health board elections, promised to lower the voting age in their 2010 manifesto.

Commenting, SNP Constitutional Affair spokesperson at Westminster Pete Wishart MP said:

“The LibDems should use their conference to end the confusion and decide whether they do actually support votes for 16 and 17 years-olds.

“Or is this one of those policies, like tuition fees, where the LibDems say one thing and do the opposite. Indeed, the LibDems have already let young people down once, will they do it again?

“16 and 17 year olds already play a part in our society. They should be able to have their say over Scotland’s future.

“Attaching strings to Scotland’s referendum is simply not acceptable. The referendum should be decided by the Scottish people and the Scottish parliament.

“It is ridiculous that politicians who say they support 16 and 17 year olds having a vote in elections would not support them voting in a referendum.

"And of course Lib Dems in Scotland have already backed votes for 16 and 17 year olds as part of elections to health boards.

“Penalising those 16 and 17 year olds who will be looking to the future of their country in an attempt to attack the SNP is just another sign of how badly the Tories, Lib Dems and now Labour are misreading the Scottish people.

“It is grossly unfair those aged 16 and 17 are able to play a major part in our society, to pay taxes, join the armed forces, consent to marriage but under UK Government plans will not be barred from making democratic decisions about their own future.

“All parties have accepted that the SNP has the right and mandate to hold a referendum on Scottish Independence. The LibDems and Labour members have accepted that 16 and 17 year olds should be given the vote. They should reaffirm their position, stop equivocating and ensure 16 and 17 year olds are able to vote.”