Labour’s Ian Murray hits out at SNP’s ’empty rhetoric’ General Election campaign

The shadow Scottish secretary accused the SNP of damaging the NHS and said his party pledges to introduce more appointments.

Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray has taken aim at the SNP as he campaigns in Edinburgh. (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

A senior Scottish Labour figure has said the SNP’s General Election campaign is “built on empty rhetoric” as he accuses his opponents of “butchering” the country’s public services.

Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray will hit the campaign trail in Edinburgh on Sunday afternoon where he will condemn the SNP campaign.

The two parties have exchanged swipes as polls suggest close-fought battles between them in the July 4 vote.

Before a campaign visit in the Scottish capital, Mr Murray said his party would deliver an additional 160,000 NHS appointments every year.

Mr Murray said: “The SNP’s General Election campaign is built on empty rhetoric and shameless hypocrisy.

“The SNP has butchered funding for local government, taking Tory austerity and amplifying it. (Party leader) John Swinney was the architect of austerity for council services across Scotland.

“Our NHS is fighting for survival on their watch, with private healthcare soaring and one in six Scots stuck on a waiting list.

“The SNP have no credibility and no vision – but Labour can deliver the change Scotland needs.

“Scottish Labour can boot the Tories out of Downing Street, end Tory austerity and deliver a funding boost for Scotland’s NHS.”

SNP candidate for Mid Dunbartonshire Amy Callaghan said: “Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is fully committed to the same Tory plans which the Institute of Fiscal Studies have said will mean around £18 billion of cuts to our public services.

“It’s time for Labour to be honest about exactly how much damage their plans would mean for Scotland’s public services like our NHS. Scotland can’t afford another decade of Westminster cuts.”