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Labour's Kezia Dugdale proposes 'save the Union' plan for 2017 Labour's Kezia Dugdale says UK is Scotland's more important union
(about 9 hours later)
Scotland's Labour leader Kezia Dugdale has said 2017 should be the year in which "building blocks" are put in place to "save our Union". Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said the UK was more important to Scotland than the EU as she set out her plan to "save our Union" in 2017.
She reiterated her plea for a federal UK and a new Act of Union. The MSP, who was speaking to BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme, also reiterated her call for a federal UK and a new Act of Union.
Ms Dugdale was speaking the day after the Scottish government called for views on its draft independence bill. She explained that the EU was important but "not more important" than the UK.
The Scottish Conservatives said voters did not trust Labour on the constitution and the SNP insisted Ms Dugdale had nothing new to offer. The Scottish Conservatives said voters did not trust Labour and the SNP said Ms Dugdale had nothing new to offer.
The Labour MSP will deliver a speech on Scotland's post-Brexit future to the David Hume Institute later this month. Responding to questions from presenter Gary Robertson, the politician said: "The UK represents the best possible way to redistribute wealth across the country. I want to tackle poverty and inequality, that is why I am in the Labour Party and I think the UK is the best means by which we can do that.
She said last summer's EU referendum result, which saw voters backing Leave by 52% to 48%, had "created divisions in our society that Nicola Sturgeon thrives upon". "The EU is very important, of course it is, and I campaigned very hard for a Remain vote.
Ms Dugdale said there needed to be a "new political settlement for the whole of the country" which would involve more powers for Holyrood, Cardiff Bay, Stormont and the English regions. "But you cannot argue, as Nicola Sturgeon often does, that Scotland's relationship with Europe is more important than its relationship with the rest of the United Kingdom - not on any measure is that the case, not least when it comes to the economy."
She said: "With the Tories pursuing a hard Brexit, and the SNP pursuing independence, these two parties of government are stretching the Union to breaking point. 'A people's constitutional convention'
"But 2017 is the year we can put the building blocks in place to save our Union." She added that she had done everything she could to support First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's efforts to "maintain a different relationship with the EU because that is what Scots voted for".
Ms Dugdale proposed: Ms Dugdale said she believed that last summer's EU referendum result, which saw voters backing Leave by 52% to 48%, had "created divisions in our society that Nicola Sturgeon thrives upon".
She said there needed to be a "new political settlement for the whole of the country" which would involve more powers for Holyrood, Cardiff Bay, Stormont and the English regions.
Her "save our Union" proposals include:
However, SNP MP Tommy Sheppard said that although it was a new year, Scottish Labour had "nothing new to offer to the people of Scotland" and that the messages were "old, tired and out of touch".However, SNP MP Tommy Sheppard said that although it was a new year, Scottish Labour had "nothing new to offer to the people of Scotland" and that the messages were "old, tired and out of touch".
He added: "Kezia Dugdale and her party should be helping the SNP to fight today's battles.He added: "Kezia Dugdale and her party should be helping the SNP to fight today's battles.
"She could join us in supporting the Scottish government's plan for Scotland in standing against the biggest threat to Scotland's prosperity and the biggest concern for families - business and educational institutions right now - a hard Brexit which risks our membership of the single market."She could join us in supporting the Scottish government's plan for Scotland in standing against the biggest threat to Scotland's prosperity and the biggest concern for families - business and educational institutions right now - a hard Brexit which risks our membership of the single market.
"Instead, she prefers to peddle a single constitutional solution which suits her party rather than her country while excluding the one option which might simply be the best one for Scotland - independence.""Instead, she prefers to peddle a single constitutional solution which suits her party rather than her country while excluding the one option which might simply be the best one for Scotland - independence."
Voter 'mistrust'Voter 'mistrust'
Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said Labour was "extremely late to the party" when it came to "prioritising the Union".Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said Labour was "extremely late to the party" when it came to "prioritising the Union".
He added: "They ran away from their involvement in Better Together and even their leader has said she'd consider voting to break up Britain in future.He added: "They ran away from their involvement in Better Together and even their leader has said she'd consider voting to break up Britain in future.
"The voters made it clear in the Holyrood elections that they don't trust Labour on the constitution."The voters made it clear in the Holyrood elections that they don't trust Labour on the constitution.
"As such, they won't be fooled by this latest stunt. The only party serious about keeping Scotland in the UK are the Scottish Conservatives.""As such, they won't be fooled by this latest stunt. The only party serious about keeping Scotland in the UK are the Scottish Conservatives."