Labour unveils business big gun

azzuri · Labour unveils business big gun

Labour unveils business big gun

see - http://news.scotsman.com/politics.cfm?id=350462007

A LEADING businessman yesterday joined Labour's onslaught on the Scottish National Party by warning that an independent Scotland would be bad for the economy.

Willie Haughey, pictured below, a former director of Celtic FC, claimed the silence of big businesses on the independence question amounted to rejection of the SNP case. "Saying nothing is saying no," Mr Haughey told a Labour Party press conference in Glasgow.

He is the latest high-profile figure to enter the independence debate in an increasingly bitter fight for the business vote.

The Scottish Conservatives yesterday launched their business manifesto with a promise to scrap rates for smaller companies, while the SNP vowed to award 20 per cent of public procurement contracts to small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

All the parties want to impress attract the backing of big business. Yesterday, Labour unveiled Mr Haughey, the chief executive of City Refrigeration Holdings, which employs about 10,500, as the party's latest coup.

Another prominent businessman, Sir David Murray, chairman of Rangers FC, has already backed the Union and accused Alex Salmond, the SNP leader, of "intimidating" business people into staying silent on independence.

Mr Haughey said it was time for business leaders to speak up but added: "If you are not saying yes to independence, then all the large plcs are saying no. I would encourage all big business that this is your one opportunity in 300 years to do something really, really meaningful."

He added: "How would you like to wake up on 4 May and find you'd got that wrong? I think you have to come out and say what you really feel."

Mr Haughey said the uncertainly of constitutional change would put pressure on companies like his to move their headquarters to England.

Mr Salmond pointed out that Mr Haughey is the biggest donor to the Labour Party in Scotland, whereas his party has seen the support of converts to its cause such as Sir Tom Farmer and Crawford Beveridge. Mr Salmond claimed his was the party of enterprise by pledging 20 per cent of public-sector contracts to SMEs.

However, Labour said this was a ridiculous proposal as more than half of contracts were already given to SMEs.

The Tories, meanwhile, launched their manifesto with a promise to make any business with a rateable value of £7,000 exempt from charges.

So, by saying nothing are we saying no to Independence, or the Union? Idiot...

There's an interesting comment at no.4 by 'Calum10':