Leadership hopeful takes hard line on referendum

Published Date: 27 July 2008 By Eddie Barnes Political Editor ONE of the leading contenders for the Scottish Labour leadership vacancy today rules out backing the SNP's proposed referendum on independence. Iain Gray, the MSP for East Lothian, said that the party "should not support" the referendum question on a separate Scottish state as proposed by Alex Salmond. He says that Labour would only support a referendum on independence if the question put to Scots was "straightforward, honest and fair". Gray's call comes after former Labour leader Wendy Alexander urged the SNP "to bring it on". She later insisted that Labour would not offer a "blank cheque" to Salmond over the matter. Launching his campaign with an article in Scotland on Sunday today, Gray issues a clear message to Labour members. "It was right to call Alex... [read full story]