LAST SCOTTISH QUESTIONS PROVES SCOTLAND NEEDS CHAMPIONS

LAST SCOTTISH QUESTIONS PROVES SCOTLAND NEEDS CHAMPIONS

SNP MP for Perth and North Perthshire, Pete Wishart, said today's exchange
at Scottish Questions illustrated how neither Tories nor Labour had
anything to offer voters in Scotland, preferring to put petty political
point scoring before the issues that matter to Scotland.

Mr Wishart said:

"Neither the Tories nor Labour have anything to offer Scotland at this
election except swingeing cuts which endanger the Scottish recovery.

"Today's exchange showed they are nothing more than the Tweedledum and
Tweedledee of Westminster politics putting petty point scoring before
the issues that matter to the people of Scotland.

"With Independence, the Scottish Parliament would be able to act in the
best interests of Scotland's economy - we would not be beholden to the
Thatcherite cuts agenda of the London parties.

"Now, more than ever, Scotland needs local and national champions to fight
for them."

Mr Wishart went on to condemn the Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy for his
refusal to take forward those parts of the Calman recommendations where all
parties agreed:

"The Scottish Government acted to make Scotland a safer place by drafting
legislation which would devolve control over drink driving limits and
airguns to the Scottish Parliament but the Labour Government has dragged
its heels.

"By failing to act before the end of this Westminster Parliament, the UK
Government have rendered Calman as nothing more than a narrow talking shop
which offered nothing to the people of Scotland."