UK Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has emphatically stated that the forthcoming Holyrood election must function as a definitive "referendum on the SNP's record" in Scotland. The senior Labour minister dismissed suggestions from Scottish First Minister John Swinney that the poll could serve as a pathway to a second independence vote.
Focus on Governance, Not Independence
Speaking during a visit to Lanarkshire on Thursday, Kendall argued that the election on May 7 should centre squarely on the Scottish Government's performance over recent years. She countered First Minister Swinney's position that a poor Labour result in Scotland and Wales could undermine Sir Keir Starmer's premiership, framing the contest instead as a critical assessment of the SNP's domestic stewardship.
"This is going to be a referendum on the SNP's record in Scotland," Kendall declared. "The UK Government is getting on with our job, building the future. I am sure the Scottish people will see that."
Announcing Scotland's First AI Growth Zone
The minister's comments accompanied the announcement that Lanarkshire will become Scotland's inaugural AI Growth Zone. The UK Government initiative is projected to generate approximately 3,400 new jobs in the region over the coming years, a move Kendall cited as evidence of Westminster's proactive economic strategy.
"I believe there is a great future being built here today," she told the Press Association while touring the site with Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill. "We are absolutely determined we're going to show that we are delivering the jobs and hope, we're going to show that we're delivering skills for the future."
Labour's Determination to Win
Kendall expressed Labour's resolute ambition to secure victory in the Scottish Parliament elections, emphasising a commitment to addressing the priorities of Scottish voters. "I'm for winning, I want to win for Scotland, I want to win for the UK," she asserted. "We're focusing on what the people of Scotland want, which is more and better jobs, a better future for their kids."
She contrasted this forward-looking agenda with what she described as "years, years of stagnation and decline under the Conservative government," positioning the current Labour administration as offering a superior alternative focused on employment, skills, and national prosperity.
McNeill Backs Starmer and Challenges SNP
Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill, accompanying Kendall, firmly endorsed Sir Keir Starmer's leadership amid sporadic speculation about potential challenges. McNeill framed the impending election as a decisive choice about Scotland's future governance.
"We have 100 days to go before the Scottish election and what is really at issue here is who do Scots want in charge of their public services and their economy?" McNeill questioned. She highlighted the Lanarkshire investment as proof of UK Government support, arguing that a Scottish Labour government working in tandem with Westminster would amplify such benefits.
"I know the SNP want to have a conversation about anything other than their record – in their shoes I would want to do that too," McNeill remarked. "But Scots won't let them, Scots know what this election is really about."
The ministers' coordinated message underscores a strategic Labour effort to redirect the electoral narrative towards domestic accountability and economic delivery, seeking to counter the SNP's longstanding emphasis on constitutional change.
