Scottish Labour have called on the First Minister to face facts and admit that analysis by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) prove that the SNP’s economic plans would mean massive cuts to public spending or huge increases in taxes.  

Nicola Sturgeon continued to attempt to mislead the Scottish people by arguing that independent analysis by the IFS did not account for her proposed revenue increases when considering SNP spending plans.

Unfortunately for Nicola Sturgeon it does. 

The IFS conclusions on the SNP’s spending plans for the next UK Government include the SNP’s proposed tax raising measures included in their Manifesto.

The SNP know this, because the IFS confirmed their figures: “We have corresponded with the SNP to check that our interpretation of their pledge, and thus the figures shown outlined in this briefing note, are correct.”

Commenting on the First Minister’s spin, Scottish Labour’s Finance spokesperson, Jackie Baillie MSP, said: 

“The First Minister needs to stop attempting to spin the analysis of the IFS and accept that her economic plans have been exposed as a shambles.

“The independent experts at the IFS have confirmed the SNP’s manifesto means they have signed up to massive spending cuts that would make even the Tories blush.

“Each of the SNP’s claims has been demolished by the IFS.

“The SNP say we could delay implementing their own plan and that would make things better. The IFS say this isn’t true and would only make things worse.

“The SNP say we could grow our way out of the extra austerity caused by full fiscal responsibility. The IFS say we’d need heroic levels of growth for this to be even vaguely true.

“And the SNP say we’d have billions of pounds more in onshore taxes to close the gap in Scotland’s finances. The IFS say they’ve already counted that and we’d still be nearly £10 billion a year in the red.

“Only Labour can bring an end to the failed Tory austerity and stop the years of pain that would come from the SNP’s plans. The only way to get a Labour Government that will invest in our NHS and make life fairer for working class families in Scotland is to vote Labour. A vote for anyone other than Labour risks the Tories being the largest party across the UK and David Cameron walking back into Downing Street. That would be a disaster for Scotland