04/12/2013
'No More Cuts', Swinney Tells Osborne
Scotland's Finance Secretary John Swinney has called on UK Chancellor George Osborne to resist announcing further cuts in his Autumn Statement tomorrow.
"The UK Government must take action to support a sustained economic recovery through additional capital investment, improved access to finance and no additional cuts to spending," the letter said.
The letter amounts to a rejection of the coalition's economic policy and shows a continued distancing between Holyrood and Westminster.
Earlier this week the Scottish government launched 'Scotland’s Future – Your Guide to an Independent Scotland', which claims that independence would enable Scotland "to build greater long-term economic security, growth and job opportunities."
Mr Swinney said: "The current Westminster system is fundamentally flawed and has created one of the largest gaps between rich and poor in the developed world.
"While we are now seeing promising signs of economic growth, the fact that Westminster is now forecast to borrow over £240 billion more between 2011-12 and 2015-16 than it initially planned in June 2010, underlines the failure of the UK Government’s approach to the economy.
"successive UK budgets and Autumn Statements have undermined the Scottish Government’s ability to support economic revival, particularly through the significant cuts the Chancellor has made to capital investment over the spending review period and, in some cases, the in-year reductions he has made to the Scottish Government’s published spending plans."
(IT/CD)
"The UK Government must take action to support a sustained economic recovery through additional capital investment, improved access to finance and no additional cuts to spending," the letter said.
The letter amounts to a rejection of the coalition's economic policy and shows a continued distancing between Holyrood and Westminster.
Earlier this week the Scottish government launched 'Scotland’s Future – Your Guide to an Independent Scotland', which claims that independence would enable Scotland "to build greater long-term economic security, growth and job opportunities."
Mr Swinney said: "The current Westminster system is fundamentally flawed and has created one of the largest gaps between rich and poor in the developed world.
"While we are now seeing promising signs of economic growth, the fact that Westminster is now forecast to borrow over £240 billion more between 2011-12 and 2015-16 than it initially planned in June 2010, underlines the failure of the UK Government’s approach to the economy.
"successive UK budgets and Autumn Statements have undermined the Scottish Government’s ability to support economic revival, particularly through the significant cuts the Chancellor has made to capital investment over the spending review period and, in some cases, the in-year reductions he has made to the Scottish Government’s published spending plans."
(IT/CD)
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.