Tories predict self-rule dream will fade
Sturgeon accuses PM of free childcare con Damning IFS report on election pledges
DAVID Cameron has predicted that the “false dream” of Scottish independence will “fade with time”, as Nicola Sturgeon wrote to the Prime Minister claiming that his flagship proposal over free childcare was a “con”.
The First Minister and Prime Minister clashed on multiple fronts yesterday, accusing each other of misleading the public as the General Election campaign became increasingly fraught.
Mr Cameron said that Ms Sturgeon, who has widely been viewed as performing impressively in the current campaign, was “selling a dream, but it’s a false dream.
“She’s selling the dream of separation.”
He added: “I can see there’s a nationalist appeal, but I profoundly believe we are so much better off as a United Kingdom.
“Sometimes in politics, dreams and visions can be terribly exciting and enthuse people.
“But when you go to the numbers ... there are huge holes in her case.
“I think this dream will fade, but it’s going to take some time and the parties like mine that believe in the UK are going to have to fight very hard.”
It later emerged that the SNP leader had written to Mr Cameron, branding a key Conservative UK manifesto pledge a “childcare con”.
The Tories have said that they will increase free childcare provision to three and four year olds to 30 hours to week, a pledge that appears similar to the SNP’s promise of offering the same level of support by 2020.
However, while Ms Sturgeon’s plan is to increase provision to 30 hours for all youngsters, the Tories would only do so when both parents are in work.
Although the caveat is included in the Tory manifesto, the SNP said that the policy had presented as one that would benefit all children when in fact, it would only apply to one in six.
In a letter to Mr Cameron, Ms Sturgeon said the £350 million figure cited by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan as the cost of the policy made “little sense,” indicating it would cover just 140,000 children of the 865,000 children currently receiving free childcare in England.
The Scottish Conservatives have set out separate plans for childcare, emphasising increased flexibility rather than extra hours.
Ms Sturgeon said: “The Tories need to come clean on their commitment and explain to parents why just one in six children would benefit from their childcare plans. Their policy on childcare is a typical Tory tactic that promises much and delivers little.
“Where the SNP is committed to delivering 30 hours of free childcare for all three and four year olds over the next Scottish Parliament term, the Tory plans would restrict free childcare to only those households where both parents are working.
“Based on the amount of funding they are making available only one in six children across England will benefit from this Tory policy.
“Instead of spending their time spreading smears about the SNP, it’s time the Tories answered questions on some of their proposals and made clear which children they do not think should have the right to top quality childcare.”
In response, a Tory spokesman said the SNP position was “another example of how the SNP would force Ed Miliband to impose more debt and more taxes
‘‘ Sometimes in politics, dreams and visions can be terribly exciting and enthuse people
on working people – exactly what got our economy into a mess in the first place.”
Meanwhile, the wife of Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has warned that Labour would be “constantly blackmailed” if it went into government with the SNP.
Campaigning alongside Jo Swinson in the East Dunbartonshire constituency, the Equalities Minister is hoping to retain next week, Miriam Gonzalez Durantezs said: “It is very clear that this is not an election that is going to be won by anybody, the only ones that guarantee a st able government anchored in the centre are the LibDems.
“If people do not want to have a government that is constantly blackmailed by the SNP or by the right wing of the Tory party with Ukip, there is a very easy answer. It is that easy – they just have to vote Lib Dem.”
The lawyer, who launched a new Lib Dem plan aimed at improving opportunities for woman alongside Ms Swinson, added that she was “very proud” of what her husband had achieved as deputy prime minister.