A senior SNP MP has warned the party against the use of “easy soundbites” to attack Labour – such as comparing them to the Tories.
Stewart McDonald, who served as the party’s defence spokesman until resigning after Stephen Flynn’s ascension to Westminster leader, urged the SNP to focus on a “platform of prosperity, fairness, resilience and independence in Europe” at the next election.
The comments appear to run counter to the approach taken by party leader Humza Yousaf, who attacked Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on Saturday – claiming his party were a “replica” of the Tories.
The SNP has ramped up its attacks on Labour in recent months, with former leader Nicola Sturgeon devoting a section of her party conference speech to Sir Keir’s party back in November.
If we retreat to the comfort zone and the easy slogans, we’ll lose. We can absolutely take this lot on, but only if get it right. Let’s win on a platform of prosperity, fairness, resilience and independence in Europe.
— Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) May 15, 2023
Both the SNP and Labour have boosted their election rhetoric in the past two weeks ahead of an expected election vote next year.
Mr McDonald went on to say the party would only win the next election if it is able to “answer the economic, social and global insecurities reaching into every community”.
Responding to a political commentator on Twitter, the Glasgow South MP said: “We must critique Labour, of course, but after the disaster years of Boris and weeks of Truss, telling people Lab & Con are the same won’t get us far.
“We must show we can answer the economic, social and global insecurities reaching into every community.
“And goodness, there is much to critique Labour on, and offer a strong alternative to, but we’ll only win if we can credibly answer the three common insecurities mentioned above, as part of an unashamedly pro-independence and EU platform. IMO (in my opinion) that’s where the winning coalition is.”
No matter how easy Labour might sometimes make it for us, we should resist easy soundbites and answers when the problems people are facing are complex. Let us engage in solving those problems and offering a real alternative to broken Westminster governance.
— Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) May 15, 2023
He added: “If we retreat to the comfort zone and the easy slogans, we’ll lose.
“We can absolutely take this lot on, but only if (we) get it right. Let’s win on a platform of prosperity, fairness, resilience and independence in Europe.
“No matter how easy Labour might sometimes make it for us, we should resist easy soundbites and answers when the problems people are facing are complex.
“Let us engage in solving those problems and offering a real alternative to broken Westminster governance.”
