Curran Rallies Labour Ahead Of Poll

The general election on May 7 will be the day to end Tory rule in Scotland'', according to the shadow Scottish secretary.

Margaret Curran MP is launching a document setting out Labour's view of the impact of Conservative policies on the economy, living standards, and people on low wages.

It claims that working people across Scotland are £1,600 a year worse off since 2010, and says 11,000 people in Scotland are being paid less than the minimum wage.

Meeting voters on a visit to Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, Ms Curran will argue that the Tories have failed'' on the economy.

Speaking before the event, she said: May 7th is the day to end Tory rule in Scotland. We have to unite to get David Cameron out of Downing Street so we can stop his damaging policies across our country and protect Scotland's NHS.

The choice at this election is clear: the largest party will form the Government and either Labour or the Tories will be in Downing Street.

Today we are spelling out clearly what Tory policies have meant for Scotland over the past five years, and what they could mean over the next five. People are worse off now than they were in 2010, more people are in low paid and insecure work, and despite the pain the Tories have failed to balance the books.

Independent experts are now warning that if the Tories win again the cuts will be deeper than any other advanced economy. This puts at risks jobs and spending on Scotland's public services.

Families across Scotland are finding it hard to put food on the table, but the Tories stand by while Scots in work get poorer.

Scottish Labour is offering a clear plan for our country to tackle the cost of living crisis, introduce a 50p tax on the well off and establish a mansion tax to pay for 1,000 nurses in our NHS. We can't take the risk of another five years of the Tories.''

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: Presumably Labour won't be visiting the thousands of new businesses started up thanks to the government's long-term economic plan, or speaking to those who have been helped back to work by welfare reform.

And it's a certainty that the words 'Ed Miliband' won't pass the lips of any Labour representatives in attendance at this negative stunt, even though this is the man they want to become prime minister.''