Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat candidate Ewan Hoyle has promised a balanced approach as the nation bids to balance the books after the recession.

He hit out at the SNP, saying the wealthiest graduates in Scotland are paying back less of their in maintenance loans than their counterparts in England.

And Ewan believes that helping the disadvantaged is a key policy for which the Liberal Democrats have been pushing forward whilst in Government.

He said: “One of the striking things about this election is the perceived positions of the political parties on the political spectrum.

“The SNP are repeatedly presenting themselves as an anti-austerity party of the left, but the policies they trumpet as progressive are anything but when you examine them more closely.

“The council tax freeze for example is an arbitrary austerity measure imposed upon councils to the detriment of their services. Free tuition for higher education also conceals the fact that the least well-off young people have the lowest likelihood of attending university of anywhere in the UK.

“The repayment terms of Scottish maintenance loans mean that the wealthiest graduates are frequently paying considerably less out of their income after they graduate than graduates from disadvantaged backgrounds earning below the average wage.

“In England, the highest earners always pay more. Which seems more fair to you?

“Similarly, the Liberal Democrat record in government is one of lifting the lowest paid out of tax, ensuring funding for schools is targeted at disadvantaged pupils, and rolling out free school meals - a policy I remember from Scottish Socialist manifestos of the past.

“The Liberal Democrats have ensured a balanced approach to economic recovery, and we’ve passed policies which raise opportunities for the most disadvantaged while we’re at it. That’s an approach I’m proud of and I hope it will continue after the election.”