Keir Starmer calls on SNP Government to be 'honest' about their budget black hole
dailyrecord.co.ukKeir Starmer has urged the SNP Government to be “honest” about the financial “mess” they are in. The Labour Prime Minister accused the SNP of “desperately” trying to blame his party for their budget black hole.SNP Ministers last week announced £500m of cuts in a bid to pay for public sector pay deals.
Peak rail fares were re-introduced as part of the cost-saving drive and a rollout of universal free school meals was also axed.First Minister John Swinney has blamed Labour “austerity” but experts at the Scottish Fiscal Commission said “much” of his Government’s finance pressures were caused by their own decisions.Speaking to the Scottish media in Downing Street, Starmer laid into the Tories for cuts his Government is having to make, such as slashing the Winter Fuel Payment.But he also hit out at the SNP: “I think it's time the SNP were honest about the mess that they actually made for themselves.
They've been in power for 17 years. "They're desperately flailing around trying to blame a government of eight weeks for the mistakes that they've made.
You saw this from the Scottish Fiscal Commission, about the responsibility the SNP have for their own finances."So just as we're being honest about our inheritance and honest about the difficult decisions we have to make, I think it's time the SNP were honest about the financial mess which is of their own making over the last 17 years."Starmer warned of tough decisions in the short-term, but said Scotland is key to his Government.
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