SNP campaigning in Gordon Brown's backyard

The Scottish National Party (SNP) Deputy Leader Stewart Hosie will hit the campaign trail in Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath later today. While he is there he will spell out how, he thinks, a strong team of SNP MPs would put an end to Westminster’s austerity cuts. Meeting SNP supporters and local people, Mr Hosie will set out the SNP’s plans for a modest real terms increase in public spending – allowing real investment in vital public services like the NHS. The SNP recently won a local council by-election victory in Kirkcaldy East – in former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s seat - with a 13 per cent swing from Labour.

Commenting, Mr Hosie said: "Westminster’s obsession with austerity is holding back Scotland’s economy and damaging communities across the country – pushing 100,000 more children in Scotland into poverty and seeing a 400 per cent increase in people forced to rely on foodbanks. Austerity is failing on every level and people are crying out for a real alternative. The Tories are determined to ignore the fact that their austerity policies have failed even by their own standards – and despite claims made in recent days Labour can’t hide the fact that they have shamefully backed George Osborne’s plans for a further £30bn of cuts. That both these parties are wedded to the same austerity agenda while supporting spending £100bn on a new generations of weapons of mass destruction isn’t just economically illiterate – it is morally indefensible."

"Under the SNP plans set out by Nicola Sturgeon, we could see modest increase in public spending – allowing us to protect our NHS budget, invest in education and childcare and create more job opportunities for our young people.A strong team of SNP MPs working with progressive allies from across the UK will put an end to the ideological commitment to austerity of both the Tory and Labour leaderships – delivering real support for businesses, protecting our public services and creating more opportunities for our young people." Mr Hosie added.

SNP candidate for Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath Roger Mullins said: "People in Kirkcaldy are completely fed up with the Westminster parties’ commitment to continuing austerity – which is why more and more local people are putting their faith in the SNP as we approach the election."