Iain Gray backs SNP call for extra budget funds

Published on Wednesday 28 October 2009 20:21

SCOTTISH Labour leader Iain Gray has joined his Nationalist opponents in demanding that extra money is pumped into next year's budget to help Scotland get out of the recession.

Mr Gray has written to Chancellor Alistair Darling supporting calls for capital money allocated for 2011-12 to be brought forward a year.

However, Mr Gray insisted he is not giving the SNP blanket support for a proposal, which Scottish ministers have been pressing for over many months to match accelerated spending in this year's budget.

He is demanding that if the money is brought forward it is used to create jobs and is angry that this year only a quarter of the accelerated funds was used for that purpose.

He said: "The SNP needs to provide a guarantee that any accelerated capital will not be diverted to Alex Salmond's pet projects, like the Scottish Futures Trust.

"It is time that Alex Salmond and John Swinney realised we need to work together to get Scotland back to work."

The move by Mr Gray was portrayed in his own party as him being willing to stand up to Labour ministers in the UK.

However, the SNP pointed out that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has recently dropped hints that he himself supports accelerated capital funding.