LABOUR’S KERR BACKS EARLY TORY CUTS

LABOUR’S KERR BACKS EARLY TORY CUTS

SCOTS CAN’T TRUST LABOUR TO STOP THE TORIES

POLL SHOWS SCOTS OPPOSE EARLY CUTS

The SNP has seized on remarks by Labour’s Andy Kerr in today’s Daily Mail today (Wednesday) where he criticises the Finance Secretary John Swinney' "decision to postpone reductions" in spending this year. This would already be on top of the £500 million cuts already imposed by the previous UK Labour Government on the Scottish Government’s budget in 2010/11.

Describing Mr Kerr’s gaffe as another example of how the people of Scotland cannot trust Labour to stop the Tories, SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick – a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee – said:

“Yet again we have another example of the Labour party failing Scotland when the Tories are in power.

“This is a huge blunder by Andy Kerr as he sides with the Tories against the process of economic recovery and calls for even more cuts on top of the £500 million his party already made to the Scottish budget this year.

“The reason for not cutting any more this year, and indeed opposing the Tory/LibDem cuts of £6 billion UK-wide, is because it jeopardises a fragile economic recovery. Andy Kerr has ensured Labour in Scotland are now part of that threat. He has also set himself against the majority of Scots who, unlike other parts of the UK, oppose early cuts.

“The recession was shorter in Scotland than UK as a whole, due to decisive action of SNP Government. All the London parties are threatening a double dip recession, and it is astonishing that Andy Kerr should be calling for more cuts to Scotland’s budget this year.

“As the SNP Government do all in our power to support recovery it is Labour who are betraying workers and jobs in Scotland.”