Steven Purcell: Worthless promises of a government that is addicted to spin

Published on Thursday 8 October 2009 21:52

OVER the past few weeks, the overwhelming economic case for building a rail link between Glasgow city centre and Glasgow airport has been well made.

Embattled transport minister Stewart Stevenson has himself described it as a "nationally significant project vital for the local and wider Scottish economy", and he is quite right.

It is a flagship project that would provide 1,300 jobs in the west of Scotland, create extensive training and apprenticeship opportunities for our young people and bring Glasgow up to speed with the modern cities of Europe, with which it competes for vital business.

The decision to cancel the rail link is, therefore, a serious blow to Glasgow and the wider economy of our country. And the manner in which the decision was made – not least that the city of Glasgow was not told until 20 minutes before finance secretary John Swinney told the Edinburgh parliament – is a warning to anyone who trusts this SNP government to deliver.

The manner in which they have reacted since making the decision also shows members of the Scottish Government are willing to believe their own spin rather than the truth.

The relationship between Glasgow City Council and the SNP government has been productive since it was elected.

This good working relationship was most evident when we stood shoulder to shoulder in Sri Lanka two years ago and convinced the Commonwealth Games Federation to entrust the event to Scotland, pledging to deliver an airport rail link as part of a whole package of guarantees.

Less visibly, we also worked together to finalise plans for the M74 completion. First Minister Alex Salmond was honest with me about the pressures he was under and, in return, Glasgow City Council front-loaded our contribution of 50 million to the cost of the road.

If only Mr Salmond had taken the same approach with the rail link, things might now be very different. But instead, he and his ministers have shown that the SNP government's reassurances are worthless. And, worse, even when the work is under way on a vital infrastructure project, reassurances that it will be completed are just as worthless.

I personally spoke to the transport minister in August and asked him if the rail link was going ahead. I was given a categorical assurance that it was.

When the Scottish Cabinet visited Glasgow in September, a member of the public asked the minister if the rail link was going ahead and again received a categorical assurance.

But only two weeks later, on the day of the Budget statement, I was called by the same minister and told the link was being scrapped because the costs had risen by 70m. The Scottish Government was playing fast and loose with the figures that day, and has done so ever since.

A week after the Budget statement, the First Minister repeated the transport minister's claims, telling parliament the costs had been "subject to significant increases over recent months".

But only days later, figures given by Mr Swinney to the parliament's transport committee revealed the costs had risen by a mere 2.5m, from 395m in December to 397.5m now. Hardly a "significant" rise.

At every turn in this affair, the SNP has spun, dissembled and at times come close to outright dishonesty. And every time they do so, they avoid telling communities and businesses why this vital project has been axed.

That is no way for a government that claims it has the whole country's economic interests at heart to treat its citizens.

&#149 Steven Purcell is the leader of Glasgow City Council.