LABOUR is to challenge the SNP on its national day of action, Neil Findlay says.
The MSP slated plans announced by depute SNP leader Keith Brown for September 29, when the party aims to target 50,000 voters “in every corner of the country”.
The scheme involves mobilising party members to hold “conversations” on independence and the “threat of Brexit”.
It will also shift the party onto a “campaign footing” in preparation for any snap general election.
The date coincides with action planned by Labour as it tries to build support for its economic policies.
Commenting, Findlay said: “Anyone who has spent time on the doorsteps in the past year or so knows that people are sick and fed-up of the SNP’s obsessions with another independence referendum.
“The real divide in Scotland is between the richest and the rest of us – not the false divisions of another referendum.
“By coincidence, Labour also has a campaign day on that date – but we’ll be focused on our positive vision for the economy, to deliver better-paid jobs and high-quality public services.”
Meanwhile, LibDem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton pressed Brown’s party to focus on key services, commenting: “The SNP would be better off holding a day of action on health or education and backing it up with some concrete action in government.
“It’s absolutely indicative of the SNP’s priorities that they would rather bother the public about an independence referendum it does not want than address the real challenges facing our public services.”
Revealing details of the action plan, Brown said he wants the SNP to take advantage of its size.
The party recently overtook the Conservatives to become the second largest in the UK in terms of membership.
The Edinburgh-based party has around 1000 more paid-up members than its London-based rival.
Setting the stall for activists to gather “a huge sample of public opinion”, Brown stated: “I am aiming to mobilise a huge number of party members to help make contact and have conversations with 50,000 people in every corner of the country on our day of action.”
Adding that the vetting process for potential general election candidate is “well underway”, Brown went on: “With 125,000 members, the SNP is now the second biggest political party in the UK, we have more members than the Tories and proportionally more than Labour do UK-wide.
“It is vital for us to harness this strength and utilise the potential of so many people.”
The former Scottish Government minister continued: “The Westminster parties are riddled with division and on the brink of implosion over Brexit – meanwhile our party and the independence movement have our sights on a far more positive future for Scotland as an independent country.
“A recent poll showed a majority would vote for Scottish independence after the UK leaves the European Union.
“The latest Social Attitudes Survey shows that the number of people view independence as a positive for Scotland’s economy now outnumber those who believe otherwise.
“So, a fortnight on Saturday, we’ll be talking to people on doorsteps up and down the country, listening to their thoughts and sharing new materials which will help win new supporters for an independent Scotland.”
Responding, Tory chief whip Maurice Golden told the I newspaper that the day of action would prove to Scots that Brown’s party “continues to obsess over one thing”.
Golden, who represents the West Scotland region, went on: “Instead of enlisting MPs and MSPs to drive up grievance and division, Keith Brown should be taking the threat of another referendum off the table altogether.
“This will be another day when Scotland suffers as a result of the governing party very openly neglecting the day job.”
Brown was elected as the SNP’s new deputy leader as the party’s June conference in Aberdeen.
He defeated rivals Julie Hepburn and councillor Chris McEleny to succeed former MP Angus Robertson in the role.
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