SNP HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

SNP HIGHLIGHTS LOCAL AND NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

DON'T JUST ELECTION A POLITICIAN, ELECT A LOCAL CHAMPION

The SNP will showcase the local and national achievements of the SNP's
Westminster candidates and MPs today (Sunday).

In a session entitled 'Electing Local Champions', SNP Westminster Campaign
Coordinator Stewart Hosie will point to the achievements of both SNP MPs
and local champions standing at the upcoming election.

These include:

*John Finnie - Candidate for Inverness, Badenoch, Nairn and Strathspey -
who has fought for a replacement for Grant House, a local care home.

*Richard Thompson - Candidate for Gordon - who has backed the SNP's
national campaign for more affordable fuel

*Eilidh Whiteford - Candidate for Banff and Buchan - who has pledged her
support for the local fishing industry which has been let down by
successive Labour and Tory Governments.

*John Mason - MP for Glasgow East - spent a week shortly after his
historic by-election victory in 2008 at a local Job Centre Plus to observe
first hand the challenges facing his constituents and since then has
championed reform of the benefits system, ensuring fair support to help
people back to work.

*Jim Barrie - candidate for Dundee West - has campaigned for vital tax
relief for Dundee's growing computer games industry.

*Mike Weir - MP for Angus - who has led a campaign demanding the reversal
of the Treasury's decision to abolish Furnished Holiday Lets relief, a
local problem for Angus' many tourism businesses that he has developed
into a national campaign.

*Lis Bardell - candidate for Livingston - has launched a campaign to clean
up Westminster in the wake of the expenses scandal.

*Angus Robertson - MP for Moray - has campaigned tirelessly for Fatal
Accident Inquiries to be held in Scotland following the tragic loss of 14
RAF personnel in the Nimrod disaster 2006.

*Pete Wishart - MP for Perth and North Perthshire - backed a local
community campaign to stop the construction of a massive waste
incinterator in the centre of Perth.

*Annabelle Ewing - candidate in Ochil - is behind a national SNP campaign
to restore the link between earnings and pensions which was severed by the
Conservatives in the 1980s.

Commenting, Mr Hosie said:

"Now, more than ever, Scotland's communities need local and national
champions who will put their interests first.

"The SNP's Westminster team have a strong track record of delivering on
both local and national campaign. With the support of Scotland's voters
at this election we can see more local champions join the SNP group in
Westminster, campaigning for local issues and arguing for Scotland's best
interests.

"The London parties have announced their intention to slash Scotland's
budget hard and fast with cuts which COSLA have said will be 'disastrous'
for Scotland's public services.

"At this election, it is not about who gets the keys to Downing Street but
about electing strong local champions who will speak up for Scotland."