Lamont: The Tory cap does not fit

Oct 2 2012

The Scottish Labour leader has rejected claims that she is a Tory for questioning universal benefits such as free NHS prescriptions.

Johann Lamont is expected to defend her position in a speech to the Labour party conference in Manchester, one week after signalling a policy shift north of the border.

She faced sustained criticism from her Holyrood opponents for casting into doubt popular but expensive Scottish Government policies which also include free university tuition and a council tax freeze.

The SNP branded her the poster girl for the Conservatives.

Ms Lamont, making the first speech to the UK party conference as an overall leader for Scottish Labour, is expected to say: "Last week when I pointed out that Scotland's families are paying for Salmond's unsustainable tax break for the rich I was accused of being a Tory. I'm not sure if the cap fits with someone who campaigned against Thatcher's cuts to Scotland in the eighties.

"Not sure the cap fits with someone who campaigned for a Scottish Parliament to protect Scotland from future Tory governments. And I am not sure the cap fits with someone who sees in everyday life the consequences of a Tory Government cutting too far and too fast while we have a SNP Government content to amplify the cuts rather than protect people from them."

In an attempt to turn the argument back on the SNP, she will say: "It was Alex Salmond who relied on the Tories to put through four budgets. It was Alex Salmond who cheered David Cameron into number 10 because it suited his political argument, in full knowledge of the consequences.

"This SNP Government claims to be a progressive beacon but took George Osborne's cuts, doubled them and handed them to Scottish councils, impacting on our elderly care, our schools and our chances of growing local economies. This SNP Government is making the poor pay for the election bribes that benefit the better off but won't tell us this side of the referendum where he goes to find another £3.3 billion of cuts."

Mark McDonald, an SNP MSP, said: "The problem for Johann Lamont is that the Tory cap fits her very well. Her 'cuts commission' speech has been praised to the skies by the Tories in Scotland and even by Tories in Wales.

"In threatening to cut Scotland's public services such as free personal care, reintroduce prescription charges on the sick and impose tuition fees, Ms Lamont has become the Tories' poster girl in Scotland. No wonder Labour members have formed the Labour for Independence group."