‘Unprecedented austerity’ ahead, warn Scotland’s pro-Union parties

The SNP’s independence plan would force a decade of “unprecedented austerity” on Scots, say Holyrood’s pro-Union parties.

The Scottish Conservatives claim the nationalists’ own sums for reducing the deficit reveal savings to public services of up to £27 billion would be required over 10 years.

It is proposed by the Growth Commission that Scotland’s budget deficit – the difference between public spending and income – is reduced from the 5.9% forecasted at the point of a Yes result to 2.6% a decade later.

Murdo Fraser, the Perthshire-based Tory MSP, said that will lead to massive spending cuts.

“It would be cost felt in every ward, in every classroom and on every street in Scotland. It is austerity on stilts,” Mr Fraser said.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said the SNP is offering “unprecedented austerity”.

“This was branded the growth commission but it’s really a cuts commission,” he said.

“Proposals to cut Scotland’s deficit by almost two-thirds over a decade would result in a level of austerity that not even George Osborne attempted.”

The SNP’s pro-independence partners in Holyrood criticised the report for focusing on increasing GDP.

Patrick Harvie, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, said it is “disappointing” the Scottish Government has “obsessed about simplistic measures like GDP growth”.

Nicola Sturgeon said: “What this report shows is that Scotland is a wealthy nation with huge resources, encompassing our traditional strengths in innovation, our hi-tech sectors, our energy reserves, our food, drink and tourism strengths – and perhaps above all our strength in human capital, with a highly-educated population.”

It would be cost felt in every ward, in every classroom and on every street in Scotland. It is austerity on stilts. MURDO FRASER MSP