BBC News | SCOTLAND | Election is 'two-horse race'

The leader of the Scottish National Party has fired an early shot in an expected general election campaign by claiming his party is the only viable opposition in Scotland.

John Swinney described the Conservatives as "down and out" and dismissed the Liberal Democrats as "irrelevant".

He said the only serious contest was between the SNP and Labour in Scotland.

Mr Swinney said: "The SNP are looking forward enormously to the coming election, and winning new ground with our strong message that only the SNP stand for Scotland.

It couldn't be clearer that the general election in Scotland is a two-horse race between the SNP and New Labour

SNP leader John Swinney
"This weekend, it couldn't be clearer that the general election in Scotland is a two-horse race between the SNP and New Labour.

"William Hague's Tories are unelectable north and south of the border and are out of the running. After this election, William Hague won't even be the Tory party leader, never mind Prime Minister.

"And the Lib Dems have ceased to be an independent party in Scotland, which renders them irrelevant to the coming election.

"Unlike all of the London parties, the SNP speak with one voice - and the more SNP MPs that are elected, the stronger Scotland's voice will be."


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