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Borders Elections are no longer a two-horse race
the Berwickshire News and Southern Reporter 18 June 2009
Sir,
May I take this opportunity to thank all who turned out across
the Borders on June 4 to put their faith in the SNP. Thanks to
voters’ support, my colleagues, Ian Hudghton MEP and Alyn Smith MEP,
will be able to continue the excellent work they have been
undertaking in the European Parliament on behalf of the people of
Scotland, and in robust fashion to promote the interests of our key
sectors, including farming, fishing and tourism. They will be able
to continue to tackle specific issues such as sheep tagging, reform
of the Common Fisheries Policy and improving transport linkages to
Europe.
Ian and Alyn will also resume their efforts to ensure that
Scotland gains the maximum benefit from sustainable development of
Scotland’s massive potential for green jobs, for example in
development of technologies to harness wave and tidal energy.
Moreover, in turning out on June 4, SNP supporters have sent a
clear message to our political opponents that elections in the
Borders are no longer a two-horse race.
The Liberal Democrats played a cynical game and tried to portray
the European elections in terms of being a local battle solely
between themselves and the Tories.
Locally, they included an out-of-date, distorted bar chart from
2005, showing the SNP in fourth place and 33 per cent behind them.
The Lib Dems’ literature was extremely economical with the truth and
they knew it, but then they do tend to rely on undermining the
motivation of other parties’ supporters to turn out.
However, at the count on June 7, the truth was to prevail – the
SNP received tremendous support from the people of Scotland and
topped the poll at Scotland level (29 per cent), with the Lib Dems
coming fourth (11 per cent). So they managed fourth in a two horse
race. Locally, with 18.5 per cent of the vote, the SNP was just five
per cent behind the Lib Dems, and 12 per cent ahead of Labour.
On the basis of their own bar chart, the Liberal Democrats
suffered an 18 per cent drop in their support.
By contrast, support for the SNP was up 10 per cent and we would
only now require a further swing of just fewer than six per cent of
votes to beat the Tories in the constituency.
Yours faithfully
Paul Wheelhouse
SNP Westminster
Candidate Berwickshire,
Roxburgh and Selkirk
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