CUTS ALREADY ORDERED IN EDUCATION SOUTH OF THE BORDER.

CUTS ALREADY ORDERED IN EDUCATION SOUTH OF THE BORDER.

Commenting on the letter to universities and colleges by Universities and Skills Secretary John Denham who has ordered them to make more than £500 million of cuts SNP MSP Christina McKelvie said this announcement betrayed Labour’s true agenda and undermined their claims of growing the economy out of recession. The Minister’s demand has met a sharp response from University staff and bosses alike with the General Secretary of the University and College Union, Sally Hunt, has said the “cuts will be a disaster for education”. Commenting Ms McKelvie – a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Education Committee - said: “This just exposes the Labour party in Scotland to more ridicule as they try to deny the existence of cuts. “We are now seeing what Labour’s plans mean south of the border and the reaction to them. Those who face these cuts are under no illusion and are not buying the spin that they are ‘efficiency savings’. “And what a contrast when we see how teaching and research funding to universities will rise by 3.4% in Scotland this year. “This issue puts more pressure on Iain Gray and his MSPS. Not one single Labour MSP has spoken out against the £500 million cuts in Scotland which threaten 9,000 Scottish jobs. “Labour in the Scottish Parliament – unlike Labour in Wales – refuse to stand up for Scotland on this crucial issue.”