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Salmond aims high on growth rates Salmond aims high on growth rates
(about 1 hour later)
SNP leader Alex Salmond has said he wanted Scottish economic growth rates to match the UK if his party won power at Holyrood in May.SNP leader Alex Salmond has said he wanted Scottish economic growth rates to match the UK if his party won power at Holyrood in May.
Under independence, he would establish a growth target of 4% - an additional £19bn in the economy over 10 years.Under independence, he would establish a growth target of 4% - an additional £19bn in the economy over 10 years.
Scottish Labour said the SNP simply "didn't get" the challenges faced by Scotland in the future. However, Scottish Labour said the SNP's economic policy failed to stand up to any scrutiny.
Mr Salmond set out his plans for the Scottish economy at a business breakfast in Edinburgh.Mr Salmond set out his plans for the Scottish economy at a business breakfast in Edinburgh.
The Banff and Buchan MP also claimed that a letter he received from Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander included an admission that Scotland's growth rate was "disappointing".The Banff and Buchan MP also claimed that a letter he received from Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander included an admission that Scotland's growth rate was "disappointing".
"I think disappointing is a euphemism," he said."I think disappointing is a euphemism," he said.
"Over the last 10 years we've been growing at about 2% while the UK economy - not the fastest growing economy in the world - has been growing at 2.8%.""Over the last 10 years we've been growing at about 2% while the UK economy - not the fastest growing economy in the world - has been growing at 2.8%."
The SNP do not have a clue what it takes to build the best education system in the world Jack McConnellScottish Labour leader I want to see Scotland's growth higher than it is today - that's our target Jack McConnellScottish Labour leader
Mr Salmond said that, under a four-year plan, the SNP aimed to raise performance in economic growth up to the UK average of 2.5% to 3%.Mr Salmond said that, under a four-year plan, the SNP aimed to raise performance in economic growth up to the UK average of 2.5% to 3%.
"We can no longer afford in Scotland to lag behind what's happening elsewhere," he added."We can no longer afford in Scotland to lag behind what's happening elsewhere," he added.
The SNP claimed their growth plan under independence would equate to an additional £10,000 for every family in Scotland.The SNP claimed their growth plan under independence would equate to an additional £10,000 for every family in Scotland.
The Nationalists plan to make year-on-year efficiency savings of 1.5%.The Nationalists plan to make year-on-year efficiency savings of 1.5%.
In total, along with the cancellation of projects like the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link, they plan to release £4.3bn in resources.In total, along with the cancellation of projects like the Edinburgh Airport Rail Link, they plan to release £4.3bn in resources.
Meanwhile, Scottish Labour leader Jack McConnell attacked the SNP's "complete and utter lack of ambition" when it came to releasing the potential of young people. Speaking on a visit to a skills employment scheme in Bathgate, Scottish Labour leader Jack McConnell expressed his aspiration to build up Scotland's success with greater levels of skills, education and prosperity for hard-working families.
"The SNP have proven again that their sums don't add up," he told BBC Scotland.
Jack McConnell visited a skills project in BathgateJack McConnell visited a skills project in Bathgate
"The SNP do not have a clue what it takes to build the best education system in the world," he said during a visit to a skills project in Bathgate. "They haven't thought through the economic impact of their policies, they can't answer the basic questions and they would threaten the prosperity of hard-working families the length and breadth of Scotland."
"They have no idea what the challenges are for the future of Scottish education and no commitment to the scale of change and investment that is needed for the future." The First Minister said Scotland had secured a higher level of employment than the rest of the UK and the next step was to develop growth to far more successful levels than in the past.
Mr McConnell said Scotland's youngsters were doing well, but were not doing enough to meet the "tough" competition of the 21st century global economy. "I want to see Scotland's growth higher than it is today - that's our target," he said.
The first minister said the SNP were driven by a basic desire to break up Britain and were found wanting on "every criteria". "The reality of the SNP's plans are not that we would get higher growth, but the prosperity of hard workers would be threatened by the fact that their sums don't add up.
"Fundamentally, they just don't get it," he said. "They are going to make Scotland the highest taxed part of the UK. They haven't got an economic policy that stands up under any scrutiny at all. They would put Scotland's prosperity at risk."
"They don't get the challenges that face us in the future.
"They don't get how to mark out young Scots in the global economy. And they don't get how to create opportunities for those with the least."
Mr McConnell set out plans to expand universal early years education to all children and to 10,000 two-year-olds, teach science and languages to young children in primary schools and build 100 skills academies across Scotland.
Jack: "There's a very clear chioce in this election and there are real consequences to the result. On the one hand we can buidl u Scotlnad with greater levels of skils and education and prosperity for har working famalies.On the other hand, the SNp have proven again that their sums dont add up, they havent thought through the economic impact oftheir policies, they cant andwer the basic questinos and they would threaten the prosperity f hard-working fmalies, the length and breath of Scotland."
"My ambitionf or Sotland was to secure higher level sof employment than the rest of the UK and we have done that."Our nect amotions should be to devleop growth to far more successful levels than the psast."The reality of the SNP's plans are not that we would get higher growth, but the prosperity of hard workers would be threatened by teh fact that their soms dont add up, they are going to make Scoptland the highest taxed part of teh UK, they havent got an economic policy that stands up under any scrutibny at all they would oputr Scotland;s prosperity at risk.
"I want to see Scotland's growth higher than it is today - that's our target. But we also want to have the policies in place that deliver that and its through skills and knowledge and investment and the stability of the fifth largest ecobnomy in teh world - the UK - that gives us the opportunity to expand Socltna;s GDP growth."