Balls “Caws The Feet” From Under Scottish Labour

LABOUR “CREDIBILITY DEFICIT” ON ECONOMY

Commenting on the speech by Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls today (Monday), SNP Westminster Treasury spokesperson Stewart Hosie MP said that Mr Balls had “cawed the feet” from under Labour in Scotland by admitting that Labour wouldn’t reverse Tory/Lib Dem coalition cuts.

Mr Hosie said:

“Labour have a credibility deficit on the economy as deep as the national deficit they created.

“Labour’s previous Chancellor, Alistair Darling, wanted to make even bigger cuts than those which were already ‘deeper and tougher’ than those of Margaret Thatcher – and their current Shadow Chancellor now says that he wouldn’t reverse the Tory/Lib Dem cuts.

“Ed Balls has just ‘cawed the feet’ from under Labour in Scotland, leaving them with no credible position on the Scottish Budget. Labour stand alongside the Tories and Lib Dems in having imposed cuts on Scotland, and now supporting these record cuts.

“What is needed is a clear path to economic growth - a coherent growth strategy as well as debt reduction.

“We need a proactive approach to kick-start economic recovery through a programme of capital investment, measures to boost economic confidence, and greater access to finance – exactly the policy pursued by the SNP Government in Scotland, which is the only part of the UK where unemployment is falling.

“Over the year, unemployment has fallen by 33,000 in Scotland compared with an increase of 44,000 across the UK as a whole – and Scotland now has the highest employment rate of any nation in the UK.

“That is why the UK Government should follow the Scottish Government’s ‘Plan MacB’ approach UK-wide.

“And it is also why the Scottish Parliament needs full financial and economic powers, so that we can sustain this position over the long-term and ensure that Scotland’s recovery is not blown off course by Westminster.

“It’s not just their dreadful record in government, but their record in opposition as well, that makes it impossible for people to trust Labour. Ed Balls talks about a VAT cut, but Labour abstained on a key vote to cut the tax just a few months ago.

“Labour have no credibility on the economy – north or south of the Border.”