Lib Dems accuse SNP over Connery calls
The Liberal Democrats have accused the Scottish National Party of breaking telephone marketing rules with their campaign of calls to Scottish voters by actor and SNP supporter Sir Sean Connery.
The party released a letter from the Information Commissioner Richard Thomas to Lib Dem MSP Iain Smith acknowledging that there could be a case against the SNP, which could result in a fine.
“Although there is nothing to say that the SNP has not got the consent of the people it intends to contact, I have today written to remind the party that without consent such calls would contravene the regulations”, the Information Commissioner is quoted as saying.
The automated calls featuring Sir Sean’s voice began at the start of last week.
“I think it very unlikely that the SNP has the prior permission of the 500,000 Scots they claim were to receive the pre-recorded message”, Mr Smith warned.
“The Information Commissioner has confirmed our belief that such calls, without prior consent, are illegal.”
The SNP, in turn, condemned the Liberal Democrats for raising the matter on the day of the Pope’s funderal, when campaigning was formally suspended.
“There is no limit to the Liberals’ capacity for dirty tricks”, an SNP spokesperson told the BBC.
In a letter to Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, SNP leader Alex Salmond demanded an apology.
He wrote, “I was shocked and disappointed, on a day which you, I and everyone else had promised would not involve political campaigning, to receive a press statement issued on behalf of your party, attacking the SNP.”
