BORIS BLOWS GAFFE ON TORY CUTS PLAN

BORIS BLOWS GAFFE ON TORY CUTS PLAN

TORIES 'CHANGE' IS SHORT CHANGE FOR SCOTLAND

IT’S SCOTTISH OIL KEEPING LONDON AFLOAT

Commenting on remarks by the Tory London Mayor, Boris Johnson, that London should be a spending priority for central government spending SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick – a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee - said it exposed the Tory’s cuts agenda for Scotland.

Boris Johnson made his comments on the BBC Wales’s Dragon’s Eye programme on Thursday (4/3/10) saying, “If you want a prosperous Britain, a prosperous UK, then actually investing in London is extremely important. … London is very much the motor of the UK economy… whatever we do, we must not cut the big investments in London that I think deliver benefits to not just England but to Wales and Scotland as well.”

The remarks already follow those of David Mundell this week where he directly contradicted a claim from David McLetchie that there would be no cuts in devolved areas by saying “if the budget for the UK is going to change, the budget in Scotland is going to change.”

Commenting Mr FitzPatrick said:

“This just exposes the Tories true agenda. It’s to rip-off Scotland again and prop up London.

“When Boris Johnson gets up in the morning, he should thank his lucky stars that Scottish oil revenues are keeping the London Treasury afloat.

“And at bed time, he should express his gratitude to the rest of the country for the Lottery good causes money being diverted to fund the London Olympics.

"The Tories are backing massive cuts to Scotland's budget next year - the first real terms cut since devolution, they want to go further and faster in the years thereafter, and David Cameron has already let it slip that he plans a new spending formula that will further reduce Scottish cash.

"The Tories so-called real change means short change for Scotland.