Crowds flock for Nicola Sturgeon in Portobello

NICOLA Sturgeon went on a walkabout in the Portobello sunshine as she joined Edinburgh East SNP candidate Tommy Sheppard on the campaign trail.

Nicola Sturgeon with Tommy Sheppard in Porty. Picture: Andrew O'Brien

She was given an enthusiastic welcome by party workers before meeting voters and posing for pictures.

Mr Sheppard later wrote on his Facebook page: “Fantastic hour spent speaking to ordinary people. Yes our volunteers were there, but what was really impressive was the reception she got from shoppers, people waiting at bus stops, and others just walking down the high street.

“Quite amazing, never seen anything like it. Not a single adverse comment and genuine affection from the people. Can anyone imagine that happening with any other party leader?”

Ms Sturgeon also used the campaign visit to play down claims by the Institute of Financial Studies that the shortfall in Scotland’s finances will increase to more than 
£9 billion by 2019-20.

She said: “These are academic projections for years ahead that presume we do nothing to grow our economy.

“What I want to do is have increased powers in Scotland so we grow our economy faster, we get more people into jobs, more people paying taxes and therefore raise our revenues, but the concern of people I speak to in this election is about the cuts that Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems are proposing now.”