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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Gray challenges Salmond to debate | Gray challenges Salmond to debate |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray will use his party conference speech to challenge Alex Salmond to a St Andrew's Day debate on Scotland's future | Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray will use his party conference speech to challenge Alex Salmond to a St Andrew's Day debate on Scotland's future |
| But the SNP leader has already rejected the challenge, saying he is holding out for a debate with Gordon Brown. | But the SNP leader has already rejected the challenge, saying he is holding out for a debate with Gordon Brown. |
| Mr Gray will share a stage with Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy at the conference in Brighton. | Mr Gray will share a stage with Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy at the conference in Brighton. |
| Mr Murphy is expected to focus his fire on the Conservatives, accusing them of being "Thatcher's grandchildren". | Mr Murphy is expected to focus his fire on the Conservatives, accusing them of being "Thatcher's grandchildren". |
| Mr Gray wants to debate Scotland's constitutional future with the first minister on 30 November - the day he expects the SNP government to launch its white paper on independence. | |
| Speaking before the conference, he said: "If Mr Salmond has any faith at all in his plans he will accept a debate with me on his disastrous plans for separation." | Speaking before the conference, he said: "If Mr Salmond has any faith at all in his plans he will accept a debate with me on his disastrous plans for separation." |
| But a spokesman for Mr Salmond said: "The first minister's itinerary for St Andrews's Day is already full, and in any case his sights are set on a UK general election debate with the prime minister." | But a spokesman for Mr Salmond said: "The first minister's itinerary for St Andrews's Day is already full, and in any case his sights are set on a UK general election debate with the prime minister." |
| Mr Murphy, meanwhile, attacked the Tories, describing them as a "threat" to Scotland. | Mr Murphy, meanwhile, attacked the Tories, describing them as a "threat" to Scotland. |
| "The Tories still don't get Scotland - but Scotland gets them," he said. | "The Tories still don't get Scotland - but Scotland gets them," he said. |
| "Scotland is the most powerful small nation on earth and we are stronger, fairer and more self-confident in the past decade." | "Scotland is the most powerful small nation on earth and we are stronger, fairer and more self-confident in the past decade." |
| Willie Bain, Labour's by-election candidate for the Glasgow North East seat, will also address the party conference. | Willie Bain, Labour's by-election candidate for the Glasgow North East seat, will also address the party conference. |