SNP candidate, Cllr Ian Hudghton, 19 th November 1998.
| 'Scotland has just four representatives on the Committee of the Regions, down from five just a few months ago, because London Labour took places away from Scotland and Wales to give extra seats to England. An independent Scotland would be entitled to more than double what we have now.' SNP candidate, Cllr Ian Hudghton, 19 th November 1998. | |
As part of their campaign to hold the seat of the late Dr Allan Macartney at next week's poll, the SNP yesterday highlighted the European credentials of their chosen successor, Councillor Ian Hudghton, by staging a live link from Brussels, where he was on duty as a member of the Committee of the Regions.
Mr Hudghton said on the line from Brussels: "Business being discussed at this session has included regional development funding, public health policy, employment, education, the environment and culture, all vital matters of interest to the North-east.
"However, Scotland has just four representatives on the Committee of the Regions, down from five just a few months ago, because London Labour took places away from Scotland and Wales to give extra seats to England. An independent Scotland would be entitled to more than double what we have now."
Labour attacked the Nationalists by claiming that meeting the conditions for joining the single currency would mean needing to slash public expenditure in Scotland unless families were to face paying an extra £500 per year in taxation, a claim illustrated by two full shopping trolleys containing goods to that value.
Deputy Scottish Secretary Helen Liddell said: "Every time the SNP face tough questions on the economy, they hide behind the Euro. Alex Salmond has twice called for immediate entry but he can't escape the impact of going in immediately - a £500 tax hike to cover the costs of the dash for the Euro."
Mrs Liddell, speaking in Dundee in support of her party's candidate Kathleen Walker-Shaw, confirmed that Labour's costings were based on the recent release of statistics from Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS).
She denied Labour had attacked this statistical exercise when it was begun under the last government and claimed SNP criticisms of it amounted to a "deplorable" attack on impartial civil servants.
There is an underlying concern among all candidates that next Thursday's by-election could result in a very low turnout. Mr Hudghton and Ms Walker-Shaw last night clashed in a live televised debate, along with Tory Struan Stevenson and Liberal Democrat Keith Raffan. The final week of campaigning will offer one last chance to raise public interest. - Nov 20.
Return to home page