Goldie defends Union, but won’t join coalition
Annabel Goldie yesterday launched a vehement defence of the Union but refused to commit her party's support for an anti-Nationalist coalition to defeat the SNP's plans for independence.
In a keynote speech in Edinburgh, the Scottish Conservatives leader said Scotland was currently able to "shape the world" through the UK's membership of Nato, the G8 and the UN Security Council - all of which independence would put under threat.
She predicted that there would be "a clear Unionist majority" in the Scottish Parliament after May 3, with the Tories, Labour and the Liberal Democrats taking most of the seats. But she stopped short of pledging to join forces with Labour and the LibDems to secure an anti-independence majority at Holyrood.
The Tory leader said: "I have indicated that whatever regime seeks to form a legislative administration in the Scottish parliament, I and the Scottish Conservatives will not enter into coalition with them.
"We will look at the best interests of Scotland by considering what that administration seeks to put forward on an issue by issue basis."
Ms Goldie said Jack McConnell and Nicol Stephen posed "an equally serious threat" to the Union as Alex Salmond and the SNP.
"Their incompetence in running the country has made Scotland question devolution. Their failure has made Scotland doubt its future.
"And their lack of vision has led some Scots to wonder whether we should tread a different path."
Ms Goldie was particularly scathing in her assessment of Mr Stephen, whose party could be the SNP's coalition partners after the election. She said the LibDem leader was "willing to betray the Union by supporting the separatists".
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Posted by: james on 11:22pm Thu 26 Apr 07
If you won't play, don't even talk about the game. Annabel, it's over.
If you won't play, don't even talk about the game. Annabel, it's over.
Posted by: Jimbo on 12:30am Fri 27 Apr 07
Maybe so James, but unlike Jack and Nicol she's got principles.
www.our-scotland.org
Maybe so James, but unlike Jack and Nicol she's got principles.
www.our-scotland.org
Posted by: James Brown, Ayr on 1:10am Fri 27 Apr 07
Annabel Goldie for Presiding Officer! Let's face it, the Conservative's dream result is the slaughter of Labour - boost English Tories no end!
Annabel Goldie for Presiding Officer! Let's face it, the Conservative's dream result is the slaughter of Labour - boost English Tories no end!
Posted by: Frank McBride, lusitania on 2:56am Fri 27 Apr 07
Now we have a clear picture of the [bold]unionist agenda.[/bold]
They obviously hope to force the SNP into a minority administration, in the hope that it fails!!!
[bold]What a policy of despair.[/bold]
There is now only one solution and, that is, an overall SNP majority.
Get out and VOTE SNP - 1, 2, 3 on 3 May.
Now we have a clear picture of the
unionist agenda.
They obviously hope to force the SNP into a minority administration, in the hope that it fails!!!
What a policy of despair.
There is now only one solution and, that is, an overall SNP majority.
Get out and VOTE SNP - 1, 2, 3 on 3 May.
Posted by: Iain MacShimmy, Brora on 6:10am Fri 27 Apr 07
There are really only two classes. Upstairs and Downstairs. It's really an English division, but Goldie is quite happy to fit in. Head cook is good, Butler would be better but that's been taken.
What an extraordinary position to be in, choosing to be a servant when in an independent Scotland, upstairs is a real possibility.
Perhaps not, how could you find leaders in men (women) who would be corporals.
There are really only two classes. Upstairs and Downstairs. It's really an English division, but Goldie is quite happy to fit in. Head cook is good, Butler would be better but that's been taken.
What an extraordinary position to be in, choosing to be a servant when in an independent Scotland, upstairs is a real possibility.
Perhaps not, how could you find leaders in men (women) who would be corporals.
Posted by: donald anderson, glasgow on 8:12am Fri 27 Apr 07
Hard to have a coalition with someone who stole your policies.
Lab-conners have always done deals against Scotland and the SNP anyway.
Who's kidding who? We're not all Labpur numpties.
Hard to have a coalition with someone who stole your policies.
Lab-conners have always done deals against Scotland and the SNP anyway.
Who's kidding who? We're not all Labpur numpties.
Posted by: Iain Brodie of Falsyde, HIGHLAND SEP on 10:06am Fri 27 Apr 07
It seems the Tories proposition to the voters runs something like "vote for us and we will not engage with anyone at Holyrood". Leave aside the stupidity and arrogance why then would anyone vote for the Tories. They will get more bangs for the 'vote buck' if they vote for the SEP.
Whatever the Tories might wish for, government in Scotland is almost certain to be based on coalitions so where is the sense in any party staying outside the tent? The reality of modern Scots politics seems not to have percolated into the grey matter yet. Ho hum
It seems the Tories proposition to the voters runs something like "vote for us and we will not engage with anyone at Holyrood". Leave aside the stupidity and arrogance why then would anyone vote for the Tories. They will get more bangs for the 'vote buck' if they vote for the SEP.
Whatever the Tories might wish for, government in Scotland is almost certain to be based on coalitions so where is the sense in any party staying outside the tent? The reality of modern Scots politics seems not to have percolated into the grey matter yet. Ho hum
Posted by: Neil 9% Growth Party, Glasgow on 10:47am Fri 27 Apr 07
The SNP rebuffed Annabel's overtures last year saying that they would keep their constitutional rule preventing them forming a coalition with theTories. In the circumstances if the SNP are unable to form a coalition it will be nobody's fault but their own.
Had they been willing to negotiate with the Tories they would have 2 parties to negotiate a coalition with but now they are totally dependent on the Lib Dems & indeed on hoping that SNP & LDs together will get a majority of seats - something I think unlikely.
The SNP rebuffed Annabel's overtures last year saying that they would keep their constitutional rule preventing them forming a coalition with theTories. In the circumstances if the SNP are unable to form a coalition it will be nobody's fault but their own.
Had they been willing to negotiate with the Tories they would have 2 parties to negotiate a coalition with but now they are totally dependent on the Lib Dems & indeed on hoping that SNP & LDs together will get a majority of seats - something I think unlikely.
Posted by: Mr Lachie Todd, Edinburgh, Scotland, U.K. on 11:22am Fri 27 Apr 07
We live in strange times when the leader of the indigenous Conservative Party has completely downplayed her once powerful political party's prospects at the forthcoming Scottish Parliament Elections, yet still claims that an anti-Nationalist 'coalition' of Unionist parties will prevent the SNP taking control at Holyrood? As has happened so often in political history, the roles are now reversed, and the SNP has become H.M. Official Opposition whilst the indigenous Tory Party, is now paradoxically, a single issue party! The indigenous Tory Party has allowed events ("Dear boy, events!") to completely overtake it, and eventually, it may well find that it has less members than the Flat Earth Society!
Lachie Todd.
We live in strange times when the leader of the indigenous Conservative Party has completely downplayed her once powerful political party's prospects at the forthcoming Scottish Parliament Elections, yet still claims that an anti-Nationalist 'coalition' of Unionist parties will prevent the SNP taking control at Holyrood? As has happened so often in political history, the roles are now reversed, and the SNP has become H.M. Official Opposition whilst the indigenous Tory Party, is now paradoxically, a single issue party! The indigenous Tory Party has allowed events ("Dear boy, events!") to completely overtake it, and eventually, it may well find that it has less members than the Flat Earth Society!
Lachie Todd.
Posted by: An Taghan, An Tir Iosal on 10:50pm Fri 27 Apr 07
Can I ask if anyone out there has applied for a postal vote over a month ago but has still not received it? The reasons for this are obvious, I just want to know to what extent people have been deliberately disenfranchised.
Can I ask if anyone out there has applied for a postal vote over a month ago but has still not received it? The reasons for this are obvious, I just want to know to what extent people have been deliberately disenfranchised.
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