SNP CONDEMNS LABOUR BUCK-PASSING OVER UNEMPLOYMENT

SNP CONDEMNS LABOUR BUCK-PASSING OVER UNEMPLOYMENT
SNP MSP Linda Fabiani has accused Labour of "shameless buck-passing", after their Finance spokesperson Andy Kerr attempted to blame the Scottish Government for unemployment in Scotland.

Ms Fabiani, a member of Holyrood's Finance Committee, said:
"Andy Kerr seems to think that he can pull the wool over the Scottish people's eyes when it comes to his party's role in putting Scots out of work. The fact is that it is the former UK Labour government that bears the responsibility for creating the problems in the Scottish job market; it not only presided over the worst recession in 40 years, it then prematurely withdrew the stimulus measures which were desperately needed to get the economy moving and get people back to work.

"The SNP Scottish government has taken decisive action to grow the Scottish economy, protect and create jobs, and help hard-pressed households get through the recession. Those efforts are paying off, as the third consecutive monthly fall in the numbers of people claiming Jobseekers' Allowance shows.

"Its work was hampered, though, by the Labour at Westminster's refusal to allow it to accelerate capital spending this year. No other country in the G20, except Argentina, has withdrawn its financial stimulus.

"The First Minister Alex Salmond has already written to the new Prime Minister and has set out the case for the restoration of an economic stimulus package. I hope that the incoming UK Government will respond positively to that call and allow the SNP Government to get on with its programme of safeguarding existing jobs, creating new ones, supporting our industries, public services and communities, and protecting Scotland from another recession.

"Even better, they should extend full fiscal autonomy to the Scottish Government as soon as possible, giving Scotland the levers of power to grow our own economy in a way that benefits all of our citizens."