On May 3, you have two votes in the Scottish Parliament election. Your FIRST vote will decide Scotland’s next First Minister. We believe Alex Salmond is the man to take Scotland forward and build greater prosperity for our nation.
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Making his keynote address to the SNP’s Spring Conference in Glasgow the SNP Leader Alex Salmond MP said it was time to build a better Scotland, to build a special place for our people, prosperous but also just, a thriving economy and a great society, with an eye to the future and a heart to forgive…
Hightlights of the speech to follow, or go to http://www.snp.org/press-releases/2006/alex-salmond-speech-to-spring-conference/
Addressing the ‘Bin the Bomb’ rally in Glasgow on Saturday SNP Leader, Alex Salmond MP, set out his ambition to create a more secure, prosperous and peaceful Scotland, with a commitment on keeping healthcare local and safer communities with more police on local streets instead of wasting billions of pounds on Trident.
The SNP also released details of a poll commissioned from YouGov, revealing that 76% of Scots would rather see the £25 billion capital cost of a new generation of UK nuclear weapons spent on public services, and two-thirds oppose the Trident replacement.
In his speech Mr Salmond said:
“The SNP stand for a nuclear free Scotland – a successful, peaceful Scotland with prosperity, meeting our obligations as a nation to the other nations of the world.
“May presents the people of Scotland with a choice of two directions: a continuation down the route of wasting billions on a Trident replacement and ignoring international commitments to rid the world of nuclear weapons; or choosing to take the path of peace and prosperity.
“The people of Scotland have shown their opposition to Trident time and again. Instead of wasting billions on a weapons system that cannot protect us from terrorism, people would rather see that money spent on schools, hospitals and fighting crime. These new poll figures show that the vast majority of Scots reject ’son of Trident’.
“Like me, they want to see peace with security and prosperity.
“Peace in the sense of getting our troops out of the blood soaked quagmire in Iraq, so that never again will we send troops into an illegal war.
“Peace in fulfilling our international obligations to rid the world of nuclear weapons, instead of building a new generation.
“And with that obligation comes the opportunity for peace with security and prosperity. Instead of wasting billions on nuclear weapons we could invest that money in creating a more prosperous and secure Scotland.
“The poll figures show that we share these priorities with the people.
“Scotland is surrounded by an ‘arc of prosperity’ of small independent nations. Small independent nations who reject wasting their money on weapons of mass destruction, and are far more prosperous than us.
“With that prosperity can come security at home. Money invested in keeping healthcare local and more police on local streets.
“The Scottish elections not only offer us an opportunity to ‘Bin the Bomb’ but to take a fresh approach in Scotland – a fresh approach towards peace with security and prosperity.”
For the 7th time in this election campaign, Jack McConnell, the one time First Minister of Scotland, has refused to take part in a televised debate.
Mr McConnell ducked yet another opportunity to debate with Alex Salmond last Thursday evening for a recording of Question Time in Edinburgh.
Presenter David Dimbleby stated that the official reason given by the First Minster’s office for him not agreeing to appear on the show was that he would not debate with a Scottish Liberal Democrat Minister.
Mr McConnell has now refused seven opportunities to debate with Mr Salmond, and the BBC have confirmed that this is the fifteenth opportunity to appear on Question Time that Mr McConnell has turned down.
SNP election campaign manager Angus Robertson MP said:
“The SNP are leading a quality debate on Scotland’s future, and about how we can build a successful future for our country. Labour’s failure to connect with this positive debate means that the Scottish people are being denied the opportunity to learn of all the political parties’ ideas and policies from their candidates for First Minster.
“Mr McConnell is clearly not being allowed by his party bosses to debate with Alex Salmond. It is frankly ludicrous for a party leader to run from open debate in this way.
“Mr McConnell has refused six opportunities to debate with Mr Salmond, and fifteen opportunities to appear on the BBC’s Question Time programme”
“If Labour were confident of their arguments they would debate them in public, and if Mr McConnell believed in what he was saying he would go head to head with Alex Salmond like his predecessors.
“Alex Salmond is Scotland’s choice for First Minister. All the published polling evidence has shown that he is preferred over Mr McConnell in every area. Alex Salmond is more trusted, more liked and more respected than Mr McConnell, and he’s on the side of the people in Scotland on all the major issues like the war in Iraq, keeping local hospital services open and putting more police officers on the beat.
“This election gives voters a straight choice over who they want as First Minster of Scotland. The public should have the chance to make an informed choice. It’s time for a debate between Mr McConnell and Alex Salmond.”
Labour and the Liberal Democrats have unleashed a debt monster on a generation of young Scots. This is bad news for Scotland’s economy and a barrier to Scottish success. By Voting SNP in May you can help dump the debt.
The SNP wants to win the May elections to create a safer, healthier and wealthier Scotland. We believe nuclear weapons are the wrong choice for a successful Scotland. That’s why we won’t waste £25 billion on new weapons of mass destruction, when it can be better spent in our schools, hospitals and other public services.
The majority of the Scottish people don’t want their money spent on these weapons of mass destruction either. In a recent poll 4 out of 5 Scots said they would oppose a costly replacement of Trident.
The elections ahead will be about choices. Choices about what is best for you, your family and your future.
We oppose Labour plans to spend £25 billion on a new generation of nuclear weapons to be based on the Clyde.
We believe nuclear weapons are the wrong choice for a successful Scotland.
We believe the money should be spent protecting local health services instead.
Since Labour came to power, Scotland has lost eight local Accident and Emergency services, with more under threat. We won’t waste your money on weapons of mass destruction, when it can be better spent in your local NHS.
With your help we can choose this better future, a future of peace and prosperity without nuclear weapons.
Vote SNP in May
On the 300th anniversary of the old Scots Parliament voting for Union in 1707, Scottish National Party leader Mr Alex Salmond MP and Depute Leader Nicola Sturgeon MSP published a new poster proclaiming: “1707 - No right to choose; 2007 - The right to choose”
“Three centuries ago, an incorporating Union was foisted on Scotland by bribery and intimidation. The people were against it, but they had no right to choose. The nobles who put their signatures to the Treaty of Union were forced to flee from the disgruntled crowds into an Edinburgh cellar!
In 2007, the SNP are offering people the opportunity to choose progress for Scotland. The SNP trust the people to make the right decision on Scotland’s future. That is why we offer the right to choose Independence in a referendum held in the four-year term of an SNP government.
Those in the London parties who would deny the people their right to choose are the political descendents of the ‘parcel o’ rogues’ of 1707 who ‘bought and sold’ Scotland.
Over 80 per cent of Scots believe that a referendum - putting the people in charge of the process - is the right way to decide Scotland’s future.
The rogues of 1707 were forced to hide in a cellar. In 2007, the London-based parties are stuck in the political bunker, as they try to justify denying the people their right to choose Independence in a referendum.
“The arc of prosperity’ around Scotland shows that Independence works in the modern world. It is the natural state for the most successful nations.
“Off our west coast is Ireland, off our east coast is Norway, and off our northern shores, Iceland. All are smaller than Scotland, all have gained their Independence in the last century and all three are now among the TOP SIX nations on the planet in terms of wealth per head.
“Independence will benefit Scotland economically, and also in cultural and social terms.”
Only the SNP trusts the Scottish people to determine their own future and by voting SNP on 3 May, people will win the right to choose a new and better relationship with the other nations of these Isles. It will be a new partnership of equals, designed for the Scotland of today and tomorrow - not the Scotland of 1707.
SNP leader Alex Salmond MP sets out his hopes and aspirations for Scotland for the coming year
The British Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Scottie lap dog Jack McConnell have pledged to spend in the region of £20Billion to upgrade Britain’s nuclear deterrent with new submarines to be based on the Clyde.
Prime Minister Tony Blair today (Monday) refused to respect the Scottish Parliament if and when it votes against a new generation of Trident nuclear weapons. Mr Blair failed to answer the question put to him by SNP Shadow Defence Minister Angus Robertson MP, who pressed him during a House of Commons statement on the UK Government’s plans to spend more than £25 billion on a new Trident system.
Speaking after the statement, Angus Robertson MP condemned the Labour Government for continuing with the WMD programme: “Trident is an immoral waste of money. The estimated cost of Trident for Scottish taxpayers is over £2 billion. I believe this money would be better spent on a range of public services and properly supporting conventional defence.
“With only months away from next year’s Scottish Election, it is clear Labour want to proceed with this nuclear madness. Only the SNP stand for a nuclear free Scotland and only a vote for the SNP is a vote to stop the son of Trident.
“I am confident that an SNP-led Government will use the powers at its disposal to stop housing weapons of mass destruction in Scotland.”
In Scotland the First minister, after months of sitting on the fence, finally had his order from London. SNP deputy leader Nicola Sturgeon said: “Having sat on the fence for so long, he [Jack McConnell] has now received his orders from London and is duly complying to the letter.
“The first minister has simply rolled over for the prime minister.”
