Press Office

Aired: Sunday, 6 May, 2007 10:00
Sunday Live with Adam Boulton

 

Boulton:          Are you still in denial or do accept the SNP won this election?

 

McConnell:    Well I think we are in a position in Scotland now where first of all the SNP are the largest party and they have a responsibility to try and form a government but they only have 47 out of 129 seats in the parliament, they have about a third of the popular vote for separatism.  Our vote was I think 16,000 in total across the whole country less than theirs and therefore it’s my responsibility to show a bit of patience, a bit of responsibility to the whole country and wait and see if Alex Salmond is able to form a government.

 

Boulton:          So does that mean you are not supporting a Scottish Labour challenge in Cunningham North where there was a narrow SNP victory and there has been talk of going to the courts?

 

McConnell:    Any decision in the Cunningham North constituency, or for that matter in any other constituency, by our candidate in Cunningham North, or by any other candidate anywhere in the country for any party, should be a matter for that candidate and his agent.  It will not be a matter on which I will either comment or interfere -

 

Boulton:          - As the leader of the Scottish Labour Party you should be in a position to say well, we don’t think it is in the interests of Scotland for all of this to end up in courts.

 

McConnell:    I wasn’t at the Cunningham North count when they ballot papers were delivered from the island which appears to be one of the issues that he is considering.  I think he needs to do that himself with his agent, he needs to take legal advice and decide if a challenge in that particular constituency is right at this time.  The fact that that challenge might have an impact on the result because the result is so close nationally, isn’t a factor that he should consider and I think if I was asked to comment on his decision there would be an indication that we were taking that into account and we are not, that’s not part of acceleration in relation to any challenge in Cunningham North.

 

Boulton:          Would you accept if it ended up that you could form with the Labour party a coalition to form the executive would you accept the job of being chief of that executive and first minister again?

 

McConnell:    In the Scottish system, unlike the position in Westminster, the election of the new first minister is in the gift of the parliament and the new first minister has to secure a majority of members of the parliament voting for them.  Currently the SNP have 47 of the 129 members, they need to achieve 65, they have to have discussions wit the other parties to see if they have the character, the maturity and the responsibility of act in the best interests of the country.  If they fail to do so then it is incumbent on me to be patient at this stage and to wait and see if I am needed but I will not take any action that would be presumptuous, I think they have the right to make the first move. 

 

Boulton:          But you wouldn’t rule yourself as a somewhat discredited figure?

 

McConnell:    We had, on the occasion, an outstanding election result.  We were 12% behind in the opinion polls, we eventually won a majority  of the constituency seats; 37 out of 73, we have only four less members than we had in 2003 and about 1% less than the popular vote.  It was a remarkable result in a very difficult mid term election for the Labour Party in Scotland and I think it shows that we have made Scotland a better place and we have got a firm record on which to stand.  But the big issue for Scotland now is what happens next and what happens next is at the moment in the hands of Alex Salmond and the other parties but it would be wrong of me over these next 28 days to take myself off the scene and make a snap judgment about that because ultimately it is in the interests of the parliament and of Scotland in moving forwards that must come first.

 

Boulton:          Have you talked to Gordon Brown about all this?

 

McConnell:    I spoke to a number of people; Gordon Brown, Tony Blair, my deputy Cathy Jamieson, the Chair of our Labour group Duncan McNeil over the course of the last few days and I think the Labour Party is absolutely united in this stance.  It is right for us to take the responsibility that we have as a result of the result that we achieved, to take that seriously but at the same time to stand back for a few days and wait and see whether Alex Salmond has the character and maturity to be able to form a government and become first minister.

 

Boulton:          You talk of taking responsibility.  Why hasn’t Gordon Brown spoken publicly since the election results were known?

 

McConnell:    I wasn’t aware that he hadn’t, in fact, I think that’s wrong.  I think I saw comments from him in a number of newspapers yesterday.

 

Boulton:          He has issued a statement but he hasn’t appeared on camera or given any interviews or expressed any views himself.  Shouldn’t a man who expects to be become Prime Minister in a few days at least be able to talk to the public about what is going on in his home country?

 

McConnell:    There is absolutely no reason why I would know what he has been doing for the last few days or why that is the situation.  I don’t even know if it is the situation so I am not going to comment on it.

 

Boulton:          I can tell you I haven’t seen any pictures of Gordon Brown talking about this election result and it just rather surprises me, doesn’t it surprise you?

 

McConnell:    Well my focus here at the moment Adam is on the position of the Scottish parliament which is uncertain for everyone.  It is a difficult time for all those who voted on Thursday because they will be wondering what is going to happen and who is going to be their next government of Scotland.  It is my duty and responsibility to continue my formal duties behind the scenes until the parliament resolves who will be the next first minister.  The focus of all my attention at the moment is on making sure that Labour MSP’s and indeed other MSP’s take their responsibilities to the electorate seriously and make decisions over the coming month that give good government top Scotland and help move our country forward and that’s all I’ve been thinking about over the last two days.