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SNP taunts McConnell for refusing to face Salmond | Quote: |
The First Minister was accused by the SNP yesterday of running scared of open debate with Alex Salmond.
The accusation from SNP deputy leader Nicol Sturgeon came during First Minister's Questions at Holyrood, which were dominated by the executive's handling of the problem of drugs.
The nationalists claimed that Jack McConnell was presiding over lengthening waiting times for those seeking help with addiction, while the Conservatives claimed their proposal to put £100m more into rehabilitation would save 10 times that figure in the long-term cost to society.
When Mr McConnell sought to turn questions round to the SNP's economic policies, Ms Sturgeon said: "The First Minister has had two opportunities in the last week to debate live on TV with the SNP, to pitch his policies against ours. On both those occasions, he has ducked the opportunity.
continued...
"This is First Minister's Questions - the opportunity for him to answer questions about his record, not repeat untruths about the SNP that he doesn't have the courage to back up in debate."
Last night, it emerged that a major debate organised by Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on February 1 had been cancelled because after considering the invitation for two months, Mr McConnell turned it down yesterday, offering to send the Labour back bencher Wendy Alexander.
A chamber spokesman said: "We are not politically aligned, but everyone would like to see the two people contending to be First Minister in debate.
"The situation is that Alex Salmond agreed very early on to engage in the debate and our preference was for the First Minister. Today, we were offered Wendy Alexander but that has come too late for February 1, so we will try again for Mr McConnell on March 1."
Labour has fielded Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander against Mr Salmond recently on the Newsnight television programme and on BBC Radio 4's Today.
The longer Labour holds off, the more suspicious it looks
Angus Robertson
In an interview this morning on GMTV, the SNP leader is expected to say: "It is now incumbent on the First Minister that he comes into the ring and lets people judge.
"In Scotland we've had a great wealth of experience and tradition of the debates.
"I really do think it's time for the First Minister to step into the ring to make his case. I'll be waiting for him and then the people can judge who can best take Scotland forward."
Angus Robertson, the SNP's election campaign director, said: "Labour's tactic appears to be to keep the First Minister out of this, but it's a high-risk strategy because people are beginning to notice.
"It is almost universal that in a democracy there are debates between the contenders for the highest office. The longer Labour holds off, the more suspicious it looks.
"They can't go on about falling turnout and the disconnection between politicians and the electorate and then refuse to take part in debate."
A Labour spokesman said: "Jack McConnell is the First Minister of Scotland with an important job to do in improving schools, hospitals and our economy. Alex Salmond is a candidate trying to get elected to the Scottish Parliament. Alex Salmond clearly has time on his hands and wants publicity."
It emerged during Holyrood questions yesterday that a special cabinet sub-committee on environmental sustainability had not met since June and would not convene again until the spring.
Robin Harper, co-convener of the Greens, said: "It seems to me from this that climate change and sustainability has slipped off your agenda," but the First Minister insisted that taking action did not depend on committee meetings.
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http://www.theherald.co.uk/politics/news/display.var.1133731.0.0.php
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Economist
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Quite bl@@dy right too! Jack McConnell, is after all the one seeking re-election as First Minister in May. But of course the reality is he just isn't trusted. Salmond et al could dispense with the likes of him, easily enough.
| Quote: | | A Labour spokesman said: "Jack McConnell is the First Minister of Scotland with an important job to do in improving schools, hospitals and our economy. |
Is there just no end to their complacency? It's a wee bit late to start trying to improve the economy, schools and hospitals now, when he's had 5 years to, and there has hardly been any improvement.
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garye
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| Economist wrote: | Quite bl@@dy right too! Jack McConnell, is after all the one seeking re-election as First Minister in May. But of course the reality is he just isn't trusted. Salmond et al could dispense with the likes of him, easily enough.
| Quote: | | A Labour spokesman said: "Jack McConnell is the First Minister of Scotland with an important job to do in improving schools, hospitals and our economy. |
Is there just no end to their complacency? It's a wee bit late to start trying to improve the economy, schools and hospitals now, when he's had 5 years to, and there has hardly been any improvement. |
Can you imagine UK Labour coming up with that if Gordon Brown refused to face David Cameron at the next UK Election? They would get shot to pieces.
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Reluctant Hero
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| Quote: | | A Labour spokesman said: "Jack McConnell is the First Minister of Scotland with an important job to do in improving schools, hospitals and our economy. Alex Salmond is a candidate trying to get elected to the Scottish Parliament. Alex Salmond clearly has time on his hands and wants publicity." |
That is the weakest argument I have ever heard in my life.
For a start, Jack McConnell is a candidate trying to get elected to the Scottish Parliament as well.
Secondly, how can he possibly claim credit for the economy. Most of the decisions relating to this are taken by Gordon Brown's department and the Bank of England.
And if he is claiming credit, then why is the Scottish economy lagging behind the rest of the UK, whilst first time house buyers are struggling to get on the property ladder having to saddle themselves with mountains of debt. This debt will be unsustainable if there is a continued rise in interest rates and we will have numerous repossesions. It is a bubble just waiting to burst.
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George
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| Reluctant Hero wrote: | | .....whilst first time house buyers are struggling to get on the property ladder having to saddle themselves with mountains of debt. This debt will be unsustainable if there is a continued rise in interest rates and we will have numerous repossesions. It is a bubble just waiting to burst. |
I've been saying this for the last twelve months. I was living in London the last time the bubble burst there and the signs are the same here.
As far as a debate between Jack and Alex is concerned the only way wee Jack would agree was if it was so rigid as to be nothing more than two separate speeches.
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Andy McH
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The matter of fact is that :
Those who want Independence have to prove the point.
No leader will ever risk his position in a public debate! Why should they?
Nationalists now have to hold the oppositiion to account, whilst at the same time showing how Scotland can do better.
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Reluctant Hero
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| Quote: | | No leader will ever risk his position in a public debate! Why should they? |
Welcome to the forum Andy McH.
I think Jack McConnell is like a rabbit stuck in the headlights of an oncoming lorry. His position is at great risk whether or not he engages in a public debate.
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Aventinian
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No politician in recent British history has ever had an open and public debate with their opponent outside of the convention in favour of church-run debates on very localised issues.
How maintaining the status quo as it has been for decades if not longer is obviously not 'running scared' but simply another over-use of a ridiculous Nationalist soundbite which I am sure even their supporters must be getting sick of.
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Economist
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| Aventinian wrote: | | No politician in recent British history has ever had an open and public debate with their opponent outside of the convention in favour of church-run debates on very localised issues. |
I'm not sure that's entirely true in a Scottish context. Certainly this was a frequent occurrance in the run-up to the devolution referendum and the May 1999 elections.
| Aventinian wrote: | | How maintaining the status quo as it has been for decades if not longer is obviously not 'running scared' but simply another over-use of a ridiculous Nationalist soundbite which I am sure even their supporters must be getting sick of. |
Because McConnell can't even be arsed to make a positive case for the Union (or is incapable of doing so), from the top, when the Union is under quite a lot of pressure, unprecedented in recent times. Given a majority of Scots support independence, it is quite right he was accused of not having the backbone to back up his puerile statements (Unionist soundbites, anyone?) about independence.
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