THE SNP has been accused of arrogance after saying it wants to win power in local government to “complete the set” of Westminster and Holyrood.
The phrase appears on a fundraising leaflet sent to party members which is headed: “Your donations can help SNP complete the set… Westminster, Holyrood and in May Scotland’s local councils."
Opposition MSPs accused the SNP of trying to play “political Monopoly” and accumulating power for its own sake rather than trying to improve people’s lives.
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Besides a Local Election Campaign Fund, the leaflet also asked for cash for a Referendum Campaign Fund, even though Nicola Sturgeon has not called a referendum.
The SNP won 56 of Scotland’s 59 Westminster seats in 2015, then 63 of 129 MSPs in 2016.
It is already the largest party in local government, having won 35 per cent of the seats in 2012, but is expected to improve its performance in May and win control of more local authorities.
The party is particularly focused on winning the Labour bastion of Glasgow.
Labour MP Ian Murray said: “It’s as if the SNP is playing a game of political Monopoly. Their arrogance knows no bounds. Having cut £1.5bn from council services since 2011, they are now talking about ‘completing the set’ rather than standing up for families and communities.
"The call for donations shows the SNP is more interested in a divisive second independence referendum than it is about standing up for local communities. People deserve better than arrogant Nationalists who want to use town halls as a stepping stone to separation.”
Tory local government spokesman Graham Simpson said: “The SNP already has a complete set… of referendum defeats. Party bosses may wish to reflect on that when it builds an entire campaign around independence in coming months.
“But the nationalists will soon realise that, just as in Holyrood, voters will want it to be focusing on the day job, and not obsessing about separation.”
LibDem MSP Mike Rumbles added: “This brass neck arrogance and desire for a one party state from the SNP will come back to bite them. Let’s not forget they lost their majority at the last Scottish elections and people are fed up an SNP Government that is failing to stand up for local communities.”
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An SNP spokesperson said: “We’ll get on with the job of protecting the most vulnerable in society and delivering the best public services in tough economic times, and leave our opponents to snipe from the sidelines.”
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