LABOUR’S POLICIES FLY IN THE FACE OF OWN LEADER’S NEW YEAR MESSAGE

LABOUR’S POLICIES FLY IN THE FACE OF OWN LEADER’S NEW YEAR MESSAGE

“DON’T WRECK RECOVERY”: BROWN MUST PRACTICE WHAT HE PREACHES

SNP Treasury spokesman, Stewart Hosie MP, has slammed the “sheer hypocrisy” of Gordon Brown’s New Year message and called on the Prime Minister to practice what he preaches after reports Gordon Brown will call for economic growth.

Earlier this month Mr Hosie criticised the UK Government’s pre-budget report for failing to accelerate capital spending to stimulate the economy back to growth, and only last week the Secretary of State for Scotland finally admitted that Labour is slashing the Scottish budget.

Commenting ,Mr Hosie said:

“To recover from the downturn we need a recession-busting plan to protect jobs, encourage growth and safeguard front line services, but the UK Government has so far failed spectacularly to provide this much needed recovery package.

“We need action not words. The man who led the country into this recession may talk of growth but, instead of accelerating capital spending in a pre-budget report which could have made a real difference to the economy, Labour delivered a pre-election report which dealt a hammer blow to Scottish recovery.

“Labour’s own policies fly in the face of their leader’s New Year message and continue to choke recovery in Scotland. Rather than promoting growth, only last week in an interview with the Herald newspaper, Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy admitted the Labour Government was slashing the Scottish Budget.

“The Scottish Government has done what it can to boost spending, accelerating £350 million of capital spending into vital areas such as affordable housing and other infrastructure projects. In 2010 we need further acceleration of capital spending to maintain this level of support and encourage growth. Instead Scotland’s budget is set to fall by over £800 million at the hands of Labour.

“Promoting growth is the best way of tackling the UK's deficit. If 2010 will be a year for Labour to practice as its leader preaches, then it must halt the cuts to the Scottish budget and deliver a sustainable recovery package. As it stands, Gordon Brown’s words ring hollow.”