MCALPINE CONDEMNS NEW LABOUR HYPOCRISY ON TORY-NO DONORS

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LABOUR COMPLAIN IN ENGLAND AND DANCE TO A TORY BILLIONAIRE TUNE IN SCOTLAND

The hypocrisy of the Labour party’s criticism of Tory donors has been exposed as many of the same billionaire and millionaire funders are also backing the No campaign with sizable cash donations.

Labour’s Shadow Cabinet Office Minister Jonathan Ashworth MP recently complained that: “When millions are flowing in from Hedge Funds and exclusive groups of donors is it any wonder David Cameron stands up for the privileged few?”

But now, as revealed in today’s Scottish Sun, the same major Tory backers have also given to the No campaign; The Earl of Verulam via Stalbury Estates (£50,000) The Duke of Buccleuch (£25,000) , Flowidea Ltd (£10,000) and Boardland Properties (£10,000) have all given to the anti-independence campaign.

SNP MSP Joan McAlpine said:

“While Labour criticises the Tories for their rich list of donors south of the border, in Scotland they are more than willing to accept that same Tory money to fund the No campaign.

 
“This includes £25’000 from the Duke of Buccleuch who owns 240,000 acres, much of it in the part of Scotland I represent, and has given multi-national mining company Dart Energy permission to drill for ­“unconventional gas” under the homes of hundreds of my constituents.”
 
“If the largest landowner in Europe does not qualify as a member of ‘the privileged few’ then I can’t imagine who does!

“It is hypocritical for Labour to think that they can have it both ways – they must face up to the fact that the No campaign is funded by those who stand to benefit most from the Westminster system that has failed the people of Scotland. As the Financial Times has pointed out, the No campaign’s donor list consists of ‘billionaire bankers, property companies and Conservative party supporters’, many of whom don’t even have a vote in this referendum.

“While the No campaign is funded by the rich and powerful establishment elite, the Yes campaign is the campaign of and for the people – the biggest grassroots political movement Scotland has ever seen.

“With one month to go until polling day, more and more people are waking up to the fact that a Yes vote is our one opportunity to ensure that Scotland’s wealth is used to benefit the people and make Scotland fairer – instead of keeping in place the broken Westminster system that only benefits the few.”

ENDS

 
Contact: Elizabeth Thomson 07963 524 744

Notes: See Monday’s Scottish Sun page 9.

Further notes: The No camp has a history of controversial donors http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/referendum-news/controversial-background-of-no-campaign-donor.20752120