SNP AND PLAID UNVEIL '4 Wales, 4 Scotland'

SNP AND PLAID UNVEIL '4 Wales, 4 Scotland'

The leaders of the SNP and Plaid Cymru, Alex Salmond MSP and Ieuan Wyn
Jones AM, today (Wednesday) unveiled '4 Wales, 4 Scotland' - the SNP and
Plaid Cymru's joint agreement to secure a better deal for the people of
Scotland and Wales in the event of a hung parliament.

Deputy First Minister of Wales Mr Jones and Scotland’s First Minister Mr
Salmond were joined at the press conference by SNP and Plaid Cymru group
leaders at Westminster, Angus Robertson MP and Elfyn Llwyd MP.

The key elements of the four part programme will be:

1. Fair funding for Wales and Scotland
2. Protecting local services and the most vulnerable
3. Action to help the green economy
4. Support for business growth

Mr Salmond and Mr Jones will sign a large scale copy of the agreement
(attached) at the press conference.

Commenting, Mr Salmond said:

"With the real possibility of a balanced parliament at Westminster, the
situation is redolent with real opportunity for Scotland and Wales.

"Both Labour and the Tories are threatening deep, harsh cuts which will
endanger the Scottish and Welsh recoveries. "Chancellor Alistair Darling
has already admitted that the cuts planned by the Labour Government will
be "harsher and deeper" than those inflicted by Margaret Thatcher.

"Only a strong bloc of SNP and Plaid MPs, using our votes and influence to
win vital concessions, can protect Scotland and Wales.

"As it currently stands, the UK Government can and does slash the Scottish
and Welsh budgets with impunity. The Barnett formula has let Scotland and
Wales down. That's why in Scotland we need fiscal autonomy and Wales
requires a fairer funding deal.

"The cuts proposed by the London parties are a real threat to Scottish and
Welsh schools, hospitals and front line services.This must change.

"Working together, SNP and Plaid MPs will champion fairer funding and
guarantee provision of public services which are vital to most vulnerable
in our communities."

Commenting, Plaid leader Mr Jones said:

"In their race for the keys to Number 10, the London Parties have
forgotten about what really matters to voters in Scotland and Wales but
the SNP and Plaid Cymru have not.

“With the prospect of a balanced parliament becoming more likely by the
day, we believe that an election that gives no single party an overall
majority would be the best possible outcome for our nations.

“A Celtic alliance of Plaid and SNP MPs would be in a position to
negotiate real benefits for the people of Wales and Scotland.

“The greater the vote for Plaid and the SNP – the better the deal for
Wales and Scotland. This is an exciting opportunity to make a real
difference.

“We would demand fairer funding for Wales and Scotland to protect jobs,
our schools, our hospitals and the most vulnerable in society.

"At the heart of our platform there would also need to be a real
commitment to grow our economies through fast transport links and
additional support to create thousands of high-quality jobs in the green
and creative industry sectors.”