21 October 2010

Highlands and Islands Labour MSPs Peter Peacock, Rhoda Grant and David Stewart said the cuts announced yesterday went totally against the policies the LibDems had advocated before the election.

Many public sector jobs in the region are set to go and there is little likelihood that anything like that number can be provided over the coming years by the private sector.

In a joint statement the MSPS said: "The Tory/LibDems Coalition Government’s spending review is flawed and has resulted in cuts which are too hard and too deep and which have been carried out too quickly.

"The private sector in the Highlands and Islands significantly depends on public sector jobs so job losses in the public sector will drastically affect the Highland economy both directly and indirectly.

"The Lib Dems, including their new pin-up boy Danny Alexander have backed cuts they campaigned against at the election."

The MSPs added: "Danny's surname should be changed to Axeander from now on, as he enthusiastically wields the axe to the very public services and policies he used to say he supported.

"These include a pledge not to increase VAT, to reduce fuel costs on the Highland mainland and to scrap unfair university tuition fees in England."

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