GRAY MUST APOLOGISE FOR EMBARRASSING SCOTLAND

For Immediate Release: Sunday 2 January 2011




Attn: NEWSDESKS


POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS


GRAY BRANDED “ADOLESCENT ALF GARNET” FOR GAFFE


Iain Gray must apologise for his slur on the people of Montenegro and to the people of Scotland for the embarrassment his gaffe has caused, SNP Foreign Affairs Spokesman Angus Robertson MP said today (Sunday), after it was revealed that the Montenegrin Chargé d’Affaires had rebuked the Labour leader in a letter of protest.


Speaking after the letter was revealed, Mr Robertson said:



“Iain Gray and Labour have form for this kind of behaviour. First he insults Ireland, then he displays his ignorance of Norway. Now he is blackening the name of Montenegro.


“It is an elementary lesson of politics that you do not rubbish other nations in an attempt to attack your opponents. It is astonishing that Mr Gray does not seem to have the maturity to understand that. His actions are more akin to those of an adolescent Alf Garnett than those of a man who is supposed to be bidding to be First Minister. It is little wonder his personal approval ratings are so low.



“We are used to Mr Gray not letting the facts get in the way of his rhetoric but he has now managed to let his international ignorance embarrass Scotland. That is not good enough. He needs to do the decent thing and apologise to the people of Montenegro. And, he also needs to apologise to the people of Scotland for the embarrassment his gaffes have caused.”


ENDS


Note to Editors:


• At First Minister’s Questions on 30 September, Iain Gray claimed Norway’s massive oil fund was a result of state ownership when it is in fact drawn from all oil and gas revenues.


• In the same exchange, Iain Gray attacked Ireland leading to leading Irish economics commentator Marc Coleman taking to BBC Radio Scotland to rebut his remarks.