SNP Oil Pledge Ahead Of TV Debate

SNP MPs can guarantee'' that support will be delivered to the oil and gas industry by holding the Westminster parties to account, according to Nicola Sturgeon.

Previous UK governments have played fast and loose'' with the sector, Scotland's First Minister said, as she campaigned in Aberdeen ahead of a second televised election debate in two days.

She pledged that SNP MPs at Westminster will speak as strongly for the North East in Westminster as we have always done at Holyrood''.

The SNP leader joined Kirsty Blackman and Callum McCaig, the party's respective candidates for Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South, on the campaign trail in the Castlegate area.

The North East of Scotland has been let down by Labour and the Tories for generations - but with austerity continuing to bite, now more than ever the area needs a strong voice at Westminster to truly stand up for their interests,'' Ms Sturgeon said.

I am proud of the SNP's strong record of standing up for Aberdeen and the North East - delivering on infrastructure projects like the AWPR, supporting small business, playing a key role in supporting the oil and gas sector through the Energy Jobs Taskforce and providing funding for the Oil and Gas Innovation Centre.

I pledge today that SNP MPs at Westminster will speak as strongly for the North East in Westminster as we have always done at Holyrood.''

The oil industry has been calling for tax cuts and further investment amid falling prices and job losses. Ms Sturgeon added: Westminster has played fast and loose with our oil revenue and mismanaged the North Sea industry for decades - with tax grabs from successive chancellors holding the industry back and putting jobs and investment at risk.

The UK Government's delayed response to the current situation in the North Sea proves beyond doubt it is time for a new approach.

With the right support, the North Sea has a bright future - and with a strong team of SNP MPs holding the Westminster establishment to account, we can guarantee that support is delivered and the interests of the North East simply can't be ignored in the House of Commons any longer.''

Ms Sturgeon, Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy, Ruth Davidson from the Scottish Conservatives and Willie Rennie of the Scottish Liberal Democrats will face each other for the second time in 24 hours later today.

Unlike the clash in Edinburgh last night, tonight's debate will include Scottish Green Party co-convener Patrick Harvie and David Coburn, the Ukip MEP for Scotland.

Mr Murphy was also in the city ahead of the debate for a visit to youth homelessness and unemployment charity Aberdeen Foyer with the party's Aberdeen South candidate Ann Begg.

He warned that the Conservatives will cut more money from Scotland's welfare budget than it currently spends on disability benefit.

He said: ''We have had five years of brutal Tory austerity - but the reality is we have not seen the worst of their plans yet.

''They are planning deeper cuts in the next three years than the last five.

''The Tories want to cut £12 billion from welfare after the election. That's £1 billion from Scottish people - more than all the disability benefits paid in Scotland.

Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Deputy First Minister John Swinney was in Perth to meet the owner and staff of marketing company and living wage employer Volpa, where he will launch the SNP's five-point plan for fair work.

Conservative MSP Annabel Goldie will be joined by party activists at a street stall outside House of Fraser in Glasgow's Buchanan Street.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell and the party's East Dunbartonshire candidate Jo Swinson will be in Bearsden to meet researchers at the Beatson Institute for Cancer Research to discuss Liberal Democrat plans to protect investment in science and research.