LIB DEM LET DOWNS HIGHLIGHT NEED FOR MORE POWERS

For Immediate Release - Wednesday 22nd December 2010



Attention: NEWS DESKS


POLITICAL CORRESPONDENTS


SCOTLAND OFFICE WON'T SPEAK UP FOR SCOTLAND'S STUDENTS

As the Scottish Secretary, Michael Moore, admitted his vote in favour of tuition fees was the worst crime a politician can commit the SNP issued a call for further powers for the Scottish Parliament to protect Scotland.


Commenting SNP MSP and Education Committee member Alasdair Allan said:


"With power over tuition fees, the Scottish Parliament was able to protect students in Scotland from the worse ravages of Tory ideology - something their Lib Dem coalition partners have failed at miserably.


"If Michael Moore is willing to commit "the worst crime a politician can commit" after less than 6 months in office, how can Scotland's Liberal Democrat MPs - particularly the Scottish Secretary - possibly be trusted to protect Scotland's interests again?

"In upcoming votes on taxes, welfare, on support for the most vulnerable, real protection for Scotland's families will not come from the feeble Lib Dems or Labour MPs but with more powers for the Scottish Parliament.

"With more powers for the Scottish Parliament we can make Scotland better and protect Scottish families from a dismal decade of Westminster cuts."


ENDS


Contact SNP Press 0131 348 6228


Notes:


Mr Moore was secretly filmed by the Daily Telegraph saying:


"I signed a pledge that promised not to do this. I've just done the worst crime a politician can commit, the reason most folk distrust us as a breed. I've had to break a pledge and very, very publicly.


"In what is a car crash, train wreck, whatever metaphor one wishes to put in terms of the politics of this, and it is deeply damaging to my party, to me individually and lots of others."