Nicola Sturgeon has laughed off claims her new Holyrood billboard campaign shows the SNP “stealing” lines from Margaret Thatcher.
Labour criticised the First Minister and SNP leader after her party launched the new adverts, featuring a picture of Ms Sturgeon alongside the slogan “Don’t just hope for a better Scotland. Vote for one.”
"..and then she forced through massive cuts." pic.twitter.com/h8Oc48bMNM
— Kezia Dugdale MSP (@kezdugdale) April 24, 2016
In the 1979 election campaign, the Conservatives, then led by Mrs Thatcher, put up similar posters with their leader telling voters: “Don’t just hope for a better life. Vote for one.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader and campaign director Alex Rowley said: “We knew the SNP under Nicola Sturgeon had ditched the left-wing rhetoric but we didn’t expect them to start stealing Thatcher’s lines.
“Maybe Alex Salmond’s view that Scots ‘didn’t mind’ Margaret Thatcher’s economic policy is alive and well in the SNP.
“I’m sure Nicola Sturgeon will cringe at the idea of being compared to Margaret Thatcher – someone in SNP HQ will be getting the hairdryer treatment.”
Mr Rowley added: “In May, rather than voting for hundreds of millions of pounds of cuts to schools and services, Scots can vote for a Labour Scottish Government that can stop the cuts.”
Ms Sturgeon dismissed the comparison between her billboard and the Tory one from 37 years ago.
“If Labour are saying that it just shows beyond any doubt how desperate Labour are,” she said
“We’re fighting a positive campaign, full of hope and optimism about the future of Scotland.
“As we go into the final 10 days of this campaign I’m taking nothing for granted, but I’m thoroughly enjoying this campaign and I’m looking forward to the remainder of it.”
