SALMOND SETS PARLIAMENT STRAIGHT ON SCOTLAND BILL

For immediate use: Thursday 20th January 2011







Attn: NEWSDESKS


POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS

POWER TO CREATE JOBS AND GROWTH IS ESSENTIAL

As SNP First Minister Alex Salmond announced 130 new jobs for Glasgow and the prospect of hundreds more for Dundee during First Minister’s Questions Labour offered no ideas for growing Scotland’s economy or delivering economic growth.

As the opposition obsessed over square brackets Alex Salmond made clear that with increased economic powers Scotland could grow her economy whilst the Tory Scotland Bill threatens to cut Scottish wealth and spending.

Labour have failed to mention economic growth at First Ministers Questions for three months.


SNP MSP and Economy and Energy Committee member Rob Gibson said:


“Alex Salmond’s announcement that hundreds of green jobs are heading to Scotland is the kind of achievement for Scotland, bringing in jobs and boosting the economy, that people rightly expect from their Scottish Government.


“Instead of bringing forward ideas for jobs or to grow the economy Labour are backing a Tory tax plan that risks cutting Scottish spending and cutting Scotland’s ability for economic growth. Labour’s obsession with a square bracket instead of concentrating on jobs for people all across Scotland is an effort to hide the problems inherent in the Scotland Bill and their support for new Tory taxes.


“What matters in this debate is that the Scottish Parliament has the powers needed to create jobs and grow the economy for the people of Scotland. The SNP is arguing for the power to create jobs, Labour simply want to raise taxes.”