Labour turns guns on Salmond

THE fierce pre-election fight between Labour and the SNP descended into personal abuse yesterday after Jack McConnell accused Alex Salmond of being "snide", "sarcastic", and indulging in "playground mockery".

In what amounted to a full-frontal assault on the SNP leader's character, McConnell claimed Salmond was somebody of no experience in governing, who preferred to score cheap political points rather than get results .

Salmond, he added, was "out of touch" with modern Scotland, still engaged in fighting the battles of 30 years ago.

The bitter attack was met with derision by the SNP leader last night, who said that if McConnell wanted to challenge him, he should agree to a head-to-head debate to let the public make up their own minds.

McConnell's aides meanwhile said that Salmond would now be increasingly targeted in the run-up to the campaign as they seek to capitalise on what they see as his weakness as a statesman.

"We were half-expecting Salmond to appear on Celebrity Big Brother," said one Labour aide yesterday.

The assault will be led over coming weeks by Labour MPs who will be told at a meeting this week to put renewed pressure on Salmond.

Labour hope to use the Scottish Question Time slot at the House of Commons to put him under the microscope.

Labour campaign chiefs also say they plan to highlight what they see as the contrast between McConnell's experience in government, and Salmond's career in opposition.

McConnell made his comments in a speech to Labour candidates in Edinburgh yesterday. He said: "I am in politics to change things. To create positive change rather than simply attack other politicians. If you want snide comments, sarcastic laughter and playground mockery you know which leader to go to." The SNP, he added, had "no experience - none of hard decisions, tough choices, getting things done, from their leader on down".

The public wanted a First Minister "able to take tough decisions", such as implementing the smoking ban, and someone able to "get things done", such as reducing hospital waiting times and increasing jobs.

He concluded: "Compare this with the prospect of an SNP leader living in the past. Still fighting the tired battles of the 1970s such as oil.

"He is out of touch, with no experience of the hard decisions of government, far less modern Scotland, who will say anything to get elected."

Salmond rounded on McConnell last night. "Labour's campaign started as one of a series of panic attacks, unmitigatedly negative about Scotland's prospects, and has now descended into personal abuse," he said.

"The First Minister has ducked every opportunity for a head to head debate on the future of Scotland preferring to rely on assaults on the SNP from London heavies. Now he is launching assaults from the safety of his own candidates' meeting.

"Once the election campaign gets under way there will be no place to hide and the contrast will become clear between the SNP's positive vision for Scotland and the unremitting negativity of Labour's campaign."

McConnell's attack on Salmond's character comes after independent polls have suggested that Salmond is marginally preferred as First Minister.

Now, Labour aims to hit back by stepping up the attack both on Salmond's record and the SNP's spending pledges, which it claims are uncosted and will leave a £5bn black hole in Scotland's finances.

The Nationalists are proposing to scrap student debt, reintroduce student grants, and bring in a local income tax.

Labour aims to drive home the message of reliability in coming weeks when a series of UK Labour ministers come to Scotland. Prime Minister Tony Blair is also expected to make regular visits north.