19th
November 2007
McNeil
Outraged over SNP Minimum Wage Gaffe
MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Duncan
McNeil, has accused the SNP of hypocrisy after Nationalist MSP, Jamie Hepburn,
left Alex Salmond red-faced in Holyrood over his failure to vote for the
National Minimum Wage.
The hapless SNP MSP tabled a
motion complaining about compliance with the minimum wage legislation and
demanding that Holyrood be given employment rights powers.
But Labour MSPs responded
furiously, highlighting that Alex Salmond didn’t even vote in favour of the
National Minimum Wage Act when it passed through Westminster in 1998.
Instead, the SNP group were either tucked up in bed or out on the town,
and didn’t bother turning up for the crucial vote.
Mr McNeil, who as a trade
union official campaigned for a minimum wage, was outraged.
“The hypocrisy of the SNP
is unbelievable,” he said. “So
little do they care about low-paid workers, they couldn’t even be bothered
getting out of bed to vote to give them a minimum, living wage. They talk about standing up for Scotland, but they couldn’t
even stay awake for Scotland’s poorest workers.
“They don’t care about
pay and the Justice Minister has pulled the plug on moves to give Scotland’s
shopworkers a guaranteed day off at New Year.
With a record like that, every worker in Scotland should hope and pray
that the SNP never get their hands on employment rights law.”
Now Edinburgh Central MSP,
Sarah Boyack, has tabled an amendment to the motion, condemning the SNP’s
hypocrisy and Salmond’s inaction whilst a Westminster MP.
She said:
“In a week when Alex
Salmond was exposed as a man who breaks his promises, he will be fuming that one
of his own backbenchers has reminded everyone that, when we need action, not
words, he is posted missing.
“I can’t believe a
Nationalist MSP has the cheek to try and criticise us, when Alex Salmond
didn’t even vote to give his own constituents a living wage when it really
mattered.”
ENDS
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