 | 'What we need to be is a party that people trust, that people respect and a party that people see
as a potential government.' Mike Russell, 11 th August 2004. |  |
| 'What we need to be is a party that people trust, that people respect and a party that people see
as a potential government.' Mike Russell, 11 th August 2004. | |
THE SNP has to break with its image as the "cheeky chappie" of Scottish politics if it is ever to
attain power, one of the party's leadership candidates said yesterday.
Unveiling his manifesto in Edinburgh, Mike Russell, the party's former chief executive, said
that only with fresh thinking would the SNP begin to be seen as a serious threat to Labour's
dominance of Scottish politics.
"It's not enough to look for solutions in the past, it's not enough to be perpetually the cheeky chappie of Scottish politics," he said.
"What we need to be is a party that people trust, that people respect and a party that people see
as a potential government."
Mr Russell's manifesto centred on five themes: renewing the party membership, a major rethink
on policy, changes to the way the SNP works in Holyrood, a radical approach to business and
a more purposeful strategy for winning elections.
"We must have fresh thinking on pensions, child care, education, health, justice, culture, rural
affairs, energy and international affairs," he said.
"And in those parts of the policy portfolio that are fully devolved, we must show that the
problem lies not in the constitution, but in government."
Just an hour earlier, his leadership rival Roseanna Cunningham was also in Edinburgh to unveil
her manifesto for the top position in the party.
Ms Cunningham began by brushing off Tuesday's surprise endorsement of Alex Salmond,
who is also running for the leadership, by the fundamentalist MSP Alex Neil who was expected
to back her.
She refused to say whether she thought a behind-the-scenes deal had been done between the
two, but could not hide her surprise at the announcement.
"I suspect I share some of the sense of bemusement that many people in the party are feeling
about the announcement," she said.
"All I can say is this is a declaration of support for the man who said he wouldn't stand from a
man who said he would endorse nobody."
Ms Cunningham remained resolute in her promise to remain "entirely straight" throughout the
contest and insisted she would not take part in any "deals or fixes".
"I have been pretty honest with the voters in this case about where I stood, about the fact I was
not making deals in front of anybody or behind anybody's back. There were no fixes and no
behind-the-scenes arrangements going ahead and that is how I believe we should continue in
this party."
Flanked by fellow MSPs Linda Fabiani and Rob Gibson, Ms Cunningham dismissed any
leadership challenge from outside the Scottish Parliament as unworkable.
"It is a matter of some concern to me that there are some people who now believe that somehow
we can be led from one removed.
"I do not believe that is going to be a viable prospect for the SNP.
"We are the national party of Scotland and this is Scotland's Parliament and I believe political
leadership, particularly in the SNP, should emanate from the Scottish Parliament."
In her 28-page manifesto entitled A Vision and Strategy for Independence, the MSP for Perth
set out policies including a package of measures to increase affordable housing and ideas to
address depopulation such as allowing asylum seekers to work, and increased child benefit.
But most of all Ms Cunningham vowed to increase recruitment and confidence in the SNP,
especially in areas of the country and policy where the SNP have "ceased to be", in order to
win the 2007 election in Scotland.
The SNP has only about 8,000 members and the party is now some £1 million in debt.
"I want Scotland to be independent, to rejoin the family of nations, to be normal again," said
Ms Cunningham.
"It will never be enough for the SNP to rule in a devolved administration and our leaders have
to aim higher than the office of first minister."
In his manifesto, Mr Russell also pledged to boost membership in a bid to put the party's
finances on a stronger footing.
He sets a target of doubling the SNP's membership by the end of this year and redoubling it by
the time of next year's expected Westminster election, coupled with a slimmed-down party
headquarters.
On the second plank, of new policy directions, the manifesto calls for the SNP to "think new
thoughts" on areas such as NATO and Europe.
The party should also accept that more money is not always a solution to policy problems, and
it should seek to rein in the quango state, he added.
On the third plank, of parliamentary reform, Mr Russell's manifesto calls for a drastic reduction
in the power of the SNP whips, a possible three-term limit for SNP MSPs.
He also pledged to introduce new methods of participatory democracy, including more public
involvement in framing parliamentary bills.
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