GRAY LEADERSHIP QUESTINNED BY MURPHY ADVISER

For immediate use: Saturday 25th September 2010

Attn: NEWSDESKS
POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS

Labour’s leader in Scotland is heading to the party conference under
further pressure after the former adviser to ex Scottish secretary Jim
Murphy attacked Iain Gray's presentation, campaign strategy and absence of
policy.

Writing a mock strategy memo in The Times John McTernan adds his voice to
the increasingly disgruntled MSPs on Labour’s backbenchers concerned over
the absence of any credible policy ideas.

In the memo Mr McTernan states “We need answers urgently” and that “hardly
anyone has seen you apart from political addicts”. The former Scotland
Office adviser tells Mr Gray “Crucially you’ll need to come clean about
the cuts.”

Labour has so far refused to accept responsibility for two thirds of the
cutbacks facing Scotland’s public services and government investment or to
set out any credible plans to secure a strong economic recovery for
Scotland.

Labour’s only policies on health and justice collapsed under expert
analysis last week and newspapers earlier this month reported unhappiness
from Labour MSPs that Gray’s only council tax policy is to increase it.

Commenting SNP MSP and deputy whip Angela Constance said:

“On the day Labour chooses a new leader it is clear their Scottish
operation isn’t up to the job.

“When one of Labour’s own advisers admits they are failing to be a
credible opposition, it is clear they are failing the first test of next
year’s election.

“Scotland’s voters have a clear choice between an experienced SNP team
working with them to tackle the problems faced by UK spending cuts and an
inexperienced Labour party that is out of ideas and running out of time.

“When Labour’s new leader eventually looks at Scotland he will find the
party in Scotland empty and idealess with no credible policies for
economic recovery, improving our health and education services or
providing a better future for our young people.