Commenting on the First Minister’s speech today (Tuesday) regarding the need to boost enterprise in Scotland, SNP Leader Mr John Swinney MSP said that it appears at long last that Jack McConnell has opened his eyes to the problem and now he must open his mind to the solution. Mr Swinney said:

“It has been a long time coming but at last it would appear that Jack
McConnell has woken up to the reality of Scotland's long term economic
underperformance.

“What he must realise however is that paying lip service to the problem is no substitute for hard action to actually address these problems. This must include placing Scotland at a competitive advantage to the rest of the UK and Europe.

"I welcome the fact that Labour's complacent Government establishment has apparently opened their eyes to the existence of a major problem, now they must open their minds to the solutions we need to provide.

“We need full financial independence so that we can focus our policy on cutting taxes on growth and reversing the trend of people, talent,
businesses and wealth migrating out of Scotland instead of in.”