SNP BACKS REVIEW OF BY-ELECTION RULES
Posted on Tuesday, July 4 2006
"ELECTORAL COMMISSION NEEDS TO LOOK AT FOUL PLAY"The Scottish National Party (SNP) is calling for a review of by-election rules by the Electoral Commission in the wake of alleged foul play in recent parliamentary by-elections.SNP Deputy Westminster Group leader Angus Robertson MP says that the trebling of spending limits to £100,000 and dubious campaigning techniques threaten fair electoral contests.Mr Robertson was speaking in a House of Commons debate about the role ofthe Electoral Commission where he highlighted examples of foul play from the recent by-elections in Dunfermline, Moray and Bromley and Chislehurst.Speaking in the debate Mr Robertson said:"By-elections are a vital part of the democratic process and are important to all political parties."Recently the spending limits in such contests were trebled to £100,000, which adds a new dimension to the electoral contest and in some circumstances could allow rich parties to dominate a constituency campaign."This also corresponds with the increased use of new highly negative and dubious campaigning techniques."We had experience of these dirty tricks in the recent Moray by-election from the Tories and the Liberal Democrats. Although the SNP scored a historic victory, seeing off the higher spending UK parties, the electorate was subjected to misleading campaigns which were widely reported in the press."At present the only recourse is though the courts, which is not a satisfactory remedy during a quick by-election contest."The Electoral Commission must play an important role in resolving this situation. It is in no party's interest to undermine the public's already limited trust in politicians and the political process."ENDS
MORAY PARLIAMENTARIANS OPPOSE NUCLEAR OPTIONS
Posted on Monday, July 3 2006
Following recent press coverage of Labour’s intention to upgrade the Trident nuclear weapons system, and revelations over the weekend that Labour MSPs favour new nuclear power stations in Scotland, Moray Parliamentarians Richard Lochhead MSP & Angus Robertson MP have re-affirmed their and the SNP’s opposition to such proposals.The issues of nuclear weapons and nuclear power are regularly raised by constituents with Mr Lochhead and Mr Robertson through correspondence and surgeries and many Moray residents are active campaigners against nuclear proposals.Angus Robertson has also launched a new poll on his website at www.moraymp.org asking constituents for their opinion on nuclear weapons.Commenting Mr Robertson said:“ The government’s and particularly Gordon Brown’s obsession with nuclear weapons is totally unacceptable. There is no significant threat from other states that can justify the use of trident missiles or their replacement and it is a weapons system that is clearly of little use in response to terrorism.“ The replacement of Trident is projected to cost an astonishing 26 Billion Pounds, money which I am sure many Moray residents could think of better things to use it for.“ For Labour to be wasting money on weapons of mass destruction while low-waged Moray Council employees are being threatened with pay cuts is a disgrace. It is a further disgrace that much needed money for upgrading schools and roads is not being made available by a Labour government that is obsessed with nuclear power.On nuclear power Moray MSP Richard Lochhead commented:“ It is completely inexplicable why Labour continue to support nuclear power when their own advisory body has stated that it is unnecessary and that there are other cleaner and less expensive energy options.“ We still have a mountain of nuclear waste with no decision on where it will go. All that we do know is that two thirds of the sites identified for potential waste storage facilities are in Scotland, many of them in the North of Scotland.“ Scotland has enormous potential to exploit many forms of renewable energy such as offshore wind, wave and tidal generation which offer low visual impact and which do not leave behind deadly waste.“ The feedback I have been getting shows that Moray people do not want nuclear material on their doorstep. I suspect that if Labour continue to pursue nuclear power then they will suffer a meltdown at the next election.”ENDS.
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