THE SNP hammered home the need to end austerity again today during another day of election campaigning.

 

John Swinney made the case for his party's plans for modest spending increases while blasting Labour and the Tories on their plans for further cuts.

The Deputy First Minister said: "Westminster's cuts have been holding back our economy and hurting people in our communities for too long - pushing 100,000 more children in Scotland into poverty and seeing the numbers of people forced to rely on foodbanks shooting through the roof.

"People in Scotland and across the UK are crying out for a real alternative to the Tory-Labour consensus on cuts - and the SNP is the only party with a plan for ending the pain of cuts.

"While both Labour and the Tories are signed up to George Osborne's plans for a further £30bn of austerity cuts, Nicola Sturgeon has put forward plans for modest public spending increases to put an end to austerity and invest in public services, deliver the funding our NHS needs and to create jobs.

"Ending austerity is without doubt the key issue of this General Election campaign - and both Labour and the Tories are on the wrong side of people in Scotland and many people across the UK.

"Austerity has failed on every measure - and it's time for a new, more progressive approach."

He highlighted the Nationalist party's priority for putting an end to austerity during the next parliament, which he said would allow investment into infrastructure, jobs and public services including a £2bn boost to the NHS.

Mr Swinney added: "Labour now need to back these common-sense plans for investment and prosperity - rather than staying wedded to the Tories' plans for another £30bn of cuts.

"Anything else would see them pay a heavy price at the ballot box.

"The contrast between the Tory-Labour austerity alliance and the SNP's plans for investment could not be clearer - and is one of the reasons that more and more people in Scotland are putting their faith in the SNP as we approach the General Election."

Mr Swinney's comments came following a report released by the Institute for Fiscal studies which found the SNP's plans did not match their anti-austerity rhetoric in their manifesto.

The independent report added that the SNP's figures implied the same reduction in borrowing as Labour, although the reduction would be slower.

It also stated the Tories' plans for spending and saving involved a larger reduction in borrowing and debt than Labour's scheme, although the analysis of Labour's suggestions was based on "substantial and almost entirely unspecified spending cuts and tax increases."

Overall the report said voters were being left "somewhat in the dark" over cuts planned by the main UK parties and the SNP, despite broad outlines being given.

Labour hit back at the SNP following the IFS report yesterday.

Glasgow East candidate Margaret Curran said: "Today is the day the SNP's rhetoric collided with the reality.

"This revelation from the IFS exposes the true reality of the SNP's plans.

"The independent experts at the IFS show clearly that the SNP will cut Scotland's budget.

"For all the bombast and the bluster of the SNP it has now been conclusively shown that their anti-austerity posturing is nothing more than a front.

"Their plans would extend austerity and harm Scotland. And as is always the case the cuts would be felt by the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities.

"We cannot let that happen.

"The choice is now simple - continued austerity with the SNP, or an end to Tory austerity with Scottish Labour.

"Only Labour can guarantee change, only Labour can guarantee an end to Tory austerity.

"Only Labour can guarantee a fairer Scotland."

hannah.rodger@eveningtimes.co.uk