BROWN SOLD PEOPLE A CON WITH HIS CUT AND SHUT MERGER

BROWN SOLD PEOPLE A CON WITH HIS CUT AND SHUT MERGER

LLOYDS JOB LOSSES EXPOSES EMPTINESS OF LABOUR PROMISES

MORE LIKE 'FEWER JOBS FOR ALL'

Commenting on reports that about 1,000 Scottish jobs are to be cut by Lloyds Banking Group by the end of next year, SNP Treasury spokesperson Stewart Hosie MP said Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling had “sold a con” to the country by pushing through the HBOS/Lloyds merger which has led to these job losses.

Commenting Mr Hosie said:

“It is now plain to see that Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling sold the country a con with his cut and shut merger of HBOS and Lloyds. Their recent comments on jobs show the emptiness of Labour promises which now look like 'Fewer Jobs for All'.

“The Prime Minister has boasted about saving the banks, but it is clear that Scotland is reaping what Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling sowed in terms of the Lloyds takeover of HBOS.

"Whilst the SNP Government is doing everything possible to save jobs and create new jobs in the financial sector – with key successes such as supporting 1,300 new jobs in Glasgow with Tesco Personal Finance and Esure – it is the UK Labour government which bulldozed through the takeover of HBOS leading to the loss of these thousands of jobs.

"Both Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling should return to Glasgow to apologise to the employees, account holders and shareholders of HBOS who have been sold a con by this Labour government."