A NEW CHALLENGE FOR THE OPPOSITION

Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray today congratulated Alex Salmond on the "remarkable achievement of winning a majority" in the new Scottish parliament and said while Labour will work with the SNP for what is best for Scotland, the challenge for the opposition also lay in holding a majority administration to account.

The Labour leader also stressed the urgency of a plan for jobs as it was announced this week three of the top four unemployment blackspots in the UK were in Scotland.

Iain Gray MSP said:

"On behalf of the Labour group I offer our congratulations to the First Minister, and our best wishes to him for the task which lies ahead for them. To win a majority in this Parliament is a remarkable achievement."

However Iain Gray added:

"The more powerful the executive, the more important the scrutiny we bring to bear upon it in committee or in plenary.  The more diligent we must be in our engagement with the people and institutions of Scotland through the evidence they give us, the petitions they submit to us or the consideration they seek from us. 

"For those of the government party that will require an independence of thought and action especially in committee which might not always be comfortable but is their democratic obligation.  For those of us on the opposition benches it will require a willingness to accept the mandate the government has and style our opposition and scrutiny accordingly.  That will not always be comfortable either but is an obligation too."

Iain Gray went to stress the urgency of a plan for jobs.

"Where we agree what is best for Scotland, Labour will work with the government, but where we disagree we will debate vigorously.

"I think we agree that we need to get Scotland working. This week we saw that three of the four unemployment blackspots in the United Kingdom are in Scotland. In West Dunbartonshire 40 people chase every job. What does this new parliamentary term mean for them?

"In the past ten days we have heard plenty about the 57 varieties of independence.   We have heard nothing about unemployment.  Yes, we will explore the powers we might have but the most urgent and pressing matter is how to exercise the powers we do have to create opportunity now.

"We will debate what divides us but let us begin with something which unites us. Scotland needs a plan for jobs and quickly. That would be a good start in taking Scotland forward from here."

18 May 2011