GORDON Brown said Labour will spend £800m next year on the NHS, youth jobs and tackling poverty.

 

He branded the SNP's spending plans a 'sell out' claiming it amounted to zero extra funding in the next year.

The former Prime Minister was in the east end of Glasgow to argue Labour was the only alternative to the Tories austerity.

The east end was the centre of the election campaign today with First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon meeting shoppers at Glasgow Fort in Easterhouse stating Labour backed the Tory cuts and would waste billions on nuclear weapons.

Mr Brown produced a Scottish Government 'alternative to austerity' plan which a stated "further cuts were not necessary".

The comparison showed alternative spending plans for five years starting with 2015/16 to 2019/20.

Additional spending for the first year was zero, increasing to £8bn then £36.5bn, 52.5bn and finally £68.1bn giving a total extra spending of £165.1bn.

Mr Brown said while Labour was planning £800m extra spending in Scotland in the next year the SNP was committed to zero.

He said: "The SNP, we hear them talking about ending austerity."

He added: "Despite all the talk they are not putting more money into the NHS or youth employment, they are committed to zero extra. We find out for the foreseeable future nothing extra will be done."

Mr Brown said Labour's £800m would come from £200m from a mansion tax, £150m from a bank bonus tax, £150m from corporation tax changes £100m from a bank levy and £200m from changes to pension tax relief for higher earners.

The Scottish Government document concludes: "It is not necessary for austerity to continue as planned by the UK Government. There is substantial room for additional spending whilst still keeping the public finances on a sustainable path."

Mr Brown was speaking in Calton Parish Church, backing Margaret Curran to hold the seat.

He said the SNP challenge to Labour about working together to keep the Tories out was not what the election was about.

He said: "The SNP can spend the election talking about deals and coalitions. We will spend it talking about the real issues, poverty, unemployment and bad housing. Whatever they think, the election is not about deals. The Scottish people know it is about social justice."

Ms Sturgeon met shoppers at The Fort with SNP candidate, Natalie McGarry who is looking to overturn Ms Curran's majority of almost 12,000.

The First Minister said it was Labour who backed the Tory cuts and said the billions of pounds planned for nuclear weapons on the Clyde would be better spent on public services like the NHS.

She said: "We can achieve an end to the austerity cuts, implemented by the Tories and backed by Labour, which are causing so much damage in our communities, and holding our economy back. "Rather than wasting £100 billion on useless, immoral nuclear weapons of mass destruction, based just thirty miles from the city of Glasgow, we can instead invest in public services like our NHS."

She said in a hung parliament a large SNP contingent could hold the balance and ensure Westminster paid attention to Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon added: "The General Election on May 7th is a fantastic opportunity for Scotland to make Westminster sit up and take notice.

"A strong team of SNP MPs means real power for the people of Scotland and the ability to make our voice heard like never before. We can and will be stronger for Scotland.

"By holding the balance of power in a hung parliament, SNP MPs can work with others to lock David Cameron out of Downing Street and ensure that Scotland's priorities become priorities at Westminster."

"The Westminster establishment have had things their own way for far too long, it's time for Scotland to lead progressive politics across the whole UK by voting SNP."