Tories slapped down for bid to recruit public sector workers as 'No' ambassadors

Sunday 24 June 2012

THE Scottish Conservatives have been criticised for attempting to use religious leaders and trusted public sector workers such as doctors, nurses and midwives as lobbyists for a No vote in the independence debate.

Nurses and care workers were among those listed in the document as being potential ambassadors for the No campaign

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exclusive by tom gordon and paul hutcheon

Tory HQ has asked the party's councillors and MSPs to identify local "opinion leaders" who can shape views before the 2014 ballot.

The idea of asking doctors and nurses to give political lectures to members of the public when they visited a hospital or a clinic was rejected outright by public sector union leaders last night. They said it would be "inappropriate" for workers to promote a political view in their professional role, adding that the Tory idea risked crossing an ethical line.

A leaked document about the plan – dubbed "blether power" by some Tory activists – said the party wants to find "people who work in jobs where they talk to dozens of people every day" and "influence the way other people think".Examples include traditional chatterboxes such as taxi drivers, hairdressers and pub landlords.However, more controversially, the plan also suggested religious leaders and public servants.It said the type of people the party is looking for includes GPs, teachers, nurses, midwives or care workers and nursery school teachers.It also identified imams, rabbis, priests and religious ministers as suitable subjects.The leaked document said the Tories face "the biggest battle in Scottish political history", with the SNP backed by "a huge war chest and an army of activists who have been waiting decades for this moment".In response, the Scottish Conservatives want to identify 20,000 opinion leaders, people who are "respected in their neighbourhoods" and "who will help shape how Scotland talks about the referendum", the document said.Besides public servants, the document suggested a series of people its considers good recruits for the cause – some predictable, others less so. The list includes postmasters, golf club chairmen, shop stewards, chip-shop assistants, "the cashier at the bookies", "the guy who runs a supporters' bus", "the person who sends out the invitation to the book club", and "the older person who makes tea for everyone at the line-dancing".It suggested scanning community noticeboards "for the names of people who run things and find their full name and address", although it said this should not be sent to Tory HQ without permission."We won't bombard them with information. Just the occasional letter, but we will want to contact them at some point," the document added.Dave Watson, Scottish organiser of public sector union Unison, said: "If it's being suggested in any way that staff would do this as part of their day-to-day duties, that's a misunderstanding of the professional ethics of our members. They would not engage in that kind of arrangement."He said care workers and others naturally engaged in conversation with those they served, but would not force their views on anyone."If the game plan is to blur that line outwith the professional ethics of our people that would be going a stage too far," he said. Theresa Fyffe, director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, said: "Nurses have a duty under their professional code to be impartial. "Before approaching nurses as part of a political campaign, it would be wise for the Conservatives and any other political parties to check out the facts regarding the professional duty of nurses and other health professionals." SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson said: "Teachers, chip shop staff, nurses, and a host of other people will be bemused at being added to a Tory anti-independence campaign list. Many will strongly object to the Tories' arrogant presumption that they share the Tory anti-independence position." A Conservative spokesman said: "This document does not ask anyone to do anything untoward or cross the line in any way. We simply want to gather as many views as possible from people in important roles in society."

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Tories slapped down for bid to recruit public sector workers as 'No' ambassadors

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