SCOTTISH Labour’s deputy leader has praised a veteran SNP figure for helping to deprive the party of a majority at Holyrood,
Speaking on the closing day of the party conference in Glasgow, Jackie Ballie thanked former SNP MP Jim Sillars for donating to her re-election campaign last year.
Mr Sillars gave £2000 to the Dumbarton MP’s fund ahead of the Holyrood elections in May 2021, with Ms Baillie telling the conference “Thank you to my own campaign team for helping to keep Dumbarton red.
“And let me also say thank you to Jim Sillars – I spent the money well, Jim, and more importantly, stopped an SNP majority in Holyrood.”
The veteran Labour MSP accused Scotland’s governments of failing the country in its hour of need during the pandemic, and said her party was ready to take on the SNP and the Tories.
She said Boris Johnson’s government was “intellectually repugnant, morally bankrupt and entirely unfit for office”, while accusing Nicola Sturgeon of “threatening to outdo The Tories in incompetence”.
Ms Baillie said: “When the people of Scotland most needed a devolved government on their side, the SNP threatened to outdo the Tories in incompetence.
“We all remember the tragedy that unfolded in Scotland’s care homes. Thousands of untested patients were sent into our care homes and lives were lost as a result.
“This deadly decision infringed the human rights of thousands of Scots and devastated families across our country.
“This decision was taken by the SNP government.
“This decision was taken by the First Minister.”
The deputy leader also praised Anas Sarwar in her speech, telling attendees he was “the real deal” and had given the party fresh energy since becoming leader last year.
She explained: “This is a strong united Scottish Labour party, ready to take on the shameful SNP and Tory governments.
“It has been only one year since Anas Sarwar was elected as our leader. But in that short time our party has been energised and transformed.”
Ms Baillie said Mr Sarwar, who became the first person from an ethnic minority background to lead a majority UK political party, “made history” with his election, “and he’ll make history again when he’s elected as Scotland’s next First Minister.”
She said his focus was “relentlessly on the future” and said: “Our party has regained its self-confidence, pride and vision and is now ready to take on the SNP and the Tories.”
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