COULD Scottish Labour and the SNP form a coalition in the Scottish parliament?
Scottish Labour MEP David Martin has said that it is time for Scotland's two main centre-left parties to focus on common ground and to put differences over independence to the side.
Speaking in Strasbourg, he stated: “We are far away from the next
Holyrood elections, but I think the groundwork should be being laid now for a potential SNP-Labour coalition that to many will seem unthinkable.”
This comes after growing warmth between Nicola Sturgeon and the Labour First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones who are working together to push forward the interest of the Scottish and Welsh administrations during the Brexit process.
SNP MEP Alyn Smith welcomed Martin's statement, saying: “This is a very welcome intervention by Scotland’s longest-serving MEP.
“I don’t think an SNP-Labour coalition is unthinkable.
“Indeed, such a coalition currently runs Scotland’s capital.
“Brexit is going to tear up the devolution settlement written by Donald Dewar and endorsed by the people of Scotland.
“That is why the progressive side of politics needs to circle the wagons to protect Scotland from a Tory onslaught that has barely started.”
Martin has been quick to state that these calls may seem premature, but given the rift between the parties since the independence referendum, he believes the time to start building a framewrok between the parties is now.
He said: “There are signals, very weak signals, that the real hate – and it was hate – between Labour and the SNP is beginning to weaken.
“I would not quite say there is a rapprochement but there is more possibility of cooperation and working together than there has been in a long time.
“Being on the same side in the Brexit referendum has actually helped that.”
However, an SNP spokesman said: “While we are always open to cooperating with other parties based on shared values, Labour remain obsessed with attacking the SNP instead of standing up to the Tories and their disastrous plans for an extreme Brexit.”
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