Responding to Labour's new economic measures, Iain Gray said:
"We have been calling on the SNP to act but they have failed to do this during the recent crisis. They cannot bring capital investment forward because they are hidebound by their unworkable Scottish Futures Trust. They should drop it now and get on with the investment which will deliver schools and hospitals and protect much-needed construction jobs.
"The Labour government has provided a £20bn fiscal boost, cut VAT, increased personal allowances on income tax for the lowest paid and agreed a three month moratorium on repossessions and funding for free debt advice. Meanwhile the SNP have stubbornly refused our demands to act on protection for Scots facing repossession of their homes.
"Almost 300,000 small and medium businesses in Scotland will benefit from measures to increase the capital and cash flow they require."
"This pre-budget boost comes on the back of the Labour government's £37bn investment to save the Scottish financial sector a month ago which has been further boosted by £100bn special liquidity fund for the banking sector.
"Of course, Scotland will quite rightly have to tighten its public finances in line with the rest of the UK, but the immediate injection of cash into the economy is needed now to ensure the recession is as shallow and short as possible."
24 November 2008