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Scotland and the Union

I have never described colleagues in that way, but there is no doubt that the public perception in Scotland is that the Scottish Executive have failed to deliver over the past eight years, and it is interesting that none of the Labour Members who have spoken has acknowledged that failure. Let us be quite clear that if the Scottish National party increases its numbers in Thursday’s elections, that will not be because there is a clarion call for independence—as others have said, the polls do not indicate support for independence—but because of dissatisfaction with the Labour Administration and, indeed, with the Liberal Democrats, who are now clearly willing to swap camps.