The SNP is the only party in Scotland with the credibility to deal with Scotland's finances after Labour failed to set out how they would handle Tory cuts to Scotland's budget.

While the SNP Government has acted responsibily to defer Tory cuts until next year in order to protect the fragile economic recovery Labour's leader in Holyrood failed repeatedly in a TV interview to say whether he would have cut spending immediately.

Labour's finance spokesperson has already called for cuts to be implemented immediately, damaging public spending, harming the economic recovery and tearing up this years budget. 

Commenting on a TV interview with the Labour leader SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson said:

"The SNP Government is deferring the most recent element of Tory cuts, because the absolute priority is protecting the fragile economic recovery now underway and preventing a double-dip recession.

“Labour’s Holyrood leader must come clean and tell the people of Scotland whether he supports that decision to protect jobs and services or whether he wants to follow Mr Kerr’s advice and slash spending this year – on top of a £500 million reduction imposed on this year's Scottish finances in the then Chancellor's 2009 Budget.

“Mr Gray also tried to rewrite history by claiming that ex-Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy had been close to securing agreement from the Treasury on the fossil fuel levy, when the reality is that Labour Ministers repeatedly refused requests for Scotland to be given access to these funds.

“Whether it is on cuts or on the fossil fuel levy, this shambolic performance has left Iain Gray without a shred of credibility.”