Deputy leader of the SNP Nicola Sturgeon today urged Scots to make their voices heard and not to let the London parties block a referendum on Scotland’s future….
Deputy leader of the SNP Nicola Sturgeon today urged Scots to make their voices heard and not to let the London parties block a referendum on Scotland’s future.
Ms Sturgeon was campaigning in Glasgow South along with Dr Winnie Ewing and the SNP candidate for the area Malcolm Fleming where she argued that only the SNP offered the real alternative for Scotland’s future and an end to the discredited Westminster system.
Speaking in the constituency Nicola Sturgeon said:
“In this campaign and across Scottish politics, the SNP is the only party with a real alternative to the business as usual approach of the Westminster parties.
“While the other parties seek to hold back Scotland’s democratic right to decide the kind of future we want for our nation, the SNP believes that just as who wins this election is a decision for the Scottish people, so Scotland’s future must be a matter for the people of Scotland in a referendum.”
Ms Sturgeon also attacked the hypocrisy of the London parties over their support for referendums on electoral reform and the Welsh Assembly powers whilst those same parties are arguing against a referendum on Scottish independence.
The Deputy FM said
“Scotland is having to fight against the Westminster machine in this election. The Westminster parties now back votes on the House of Lords, on the powers of the Welsh Assembly and on the system we use to vote – yet still cannot bring themselves to back a vote on Scotland’s future.
Ms Sturgeon also argued the case for independence, saying:
“With independence we will be able to deliver a more successful Scotland, with greater prosperity for the people of our nation, building an economy that serves the needs of Scotland’s communities.
“With independence, we can remove the obscenity of nuclear weapons from Scotland’s shores, make our own decisions about illegal wars and represent ourselves at the top table in Europe.
“With independence, voters will have much greater say and greater control over their politicians as all the decisions about Scotland are taken in Scotland, closer to home and closer to constituents. That would make a real change to the Westminster system that has seen Scotland’s voters let down too often by London parties.
“The fundamental appeal of independence is that it offers a different vision for our nation’s future.
She ended with an attack on the current Westminster system:
“The Westminster parliament and system is discredited. For too long it has worked against the interests of the people of Scotland – the system is failing us and that is why we need a fresh start and a new approach. The first steps to that fresh start can come with local and national champions from the SNP, elected on the May 6th, the next steps with a referendum and a vote for Scotland’s future.”