Gloves off in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth election fight

Key players from Scottish Nationalist ranks have branded Gregg McClymont a hypocrite after stating he missed a key vote at Westminster.

Last week, prospective SNP Parliamentary candidate Stuart McDonald took Mr McClymont to task on the issue of Trident.

And this week, it is fracking that’s in the frame.

Mr McDonald has welcomed the fact that the Scottish Goverment has put a moratorium on the controversial means of gas extraction.

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However, he has accused his Labour rival of speaking with a forked tongue over this issue.

The charity worker who’s from Milton of Campsie said:”I will always stand alongside local groups to oppose fracking anywhere in this constituency.

“Mr McClymont’s voting record is increasingly difficult to understand. Last week he told readers of the News and Chronicle that he was all for stopping fracking.

“Yet at Westminster on Monday, unlike SNP MPs, he chose not to support a moritorium on fracking.How does that stack up?’’ he added.

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And his SNP colleague Jamie Hepburn MSP has also taken the Labour man to task.

Mr Hepburn said: “It is sheer hypocrisy for McClymont to seek to claim any sort of credit for any progress on this matter.

“He claims he does not want Scotland to be used as a fracking guinea pig, then refused to support a UK-wide moratorium. He could have supported it but didn’t bother to vote one way or another.’’

When asked for a response, Mr McClymont said: “The SNP’s weakness in refusing to back Scottish Labour’s policy of a Local Veto on fracking is now badly exposed.

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“Why won’t the SNP use the powers they possess as the Scottish Government to ensure no fracking takes place in Scotland without approval from the local community affected through a local referendum?

“Does the SNP not trust local people?’’ he added.

“If the SNP won’t act to put power in the hands of local people Scottish Labour will by a triple lock system to stop fracking in Scotland.

“Firstly, no fracking should take place in any community in Scotland without a local referendum. Secondly no fracking should take place in Scotland until lessons are learned from elsewhere in the UK first.

“Finally, no fracking should take place in Scotland until there is a comprehensive review of baseline conditions,’’ he said.