Tories hit Scotland with cuts triple whammy
A Tory Government will not be good for Scotland:
As the Conservative Party conference gets underway, SNP Treasury Spokesperson, Stewart Hosie MP, has rounded on claims that electing a Tory Government is in the best interests of Scotland’s economy.
“Warm words from the Tory high command cannot mask their stated intention to impose a triple whammy of cuts to Scotland’s budget.
“The Tories are backing massive cuts to Scotland’s budget next year – the first real terms cut since devolution, they want to go further and faster in the years thereafter, and earlier this week, David Cameron let it slip that he plans a new spending formula that will further reduce Scottish cash.
“The Tories so-called real change means short change for Scotland.
“If this is the Tory Leader’s message to Scotland, it will be the Tories sole seat north of the Border that will be getting cut.
“The phoney war between Labour and the Tories has nothing to offer Scotland. Both are committed to making swingeing cuts to Scotland’s budget while frittering away billions of pounds on a the Trident nuclear weapons system – an obscene vanity project the people of Scotland do not want.
“To get through these tough times, the people of Scotland need local champions who will stand up for their interests. Only the SNP will speak up for Scotland’s services as the London parties race to slash funding.
“Westminster is holding Scotland back. The only way Scotland can thrive economically is with fiscal autonomy. As the official GERS report lays out, Scotland recorded a current budget surplus over the three years to 2007/08 of £2.3bn while the UK ran up a deficit of £24bn over the sam period.
