The SNP will not let banking reforms be a "direct line to the breadline" for Glasgow workers - said David Kerr on the campaign trail in Glasgow North East.

Mr Kerr was today joined by the party’s Work and Pensions spokesman  and Glasgow East MP John Mason and Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie to demand that the UK Government give workers at
Direct Line and other RBS insurance firms a guarantee over the future of
their jobs.

RBS , which is largely owned by the UK Government, is being forced to
sell its insurance companies who account for some 1,600 jobs in Glasgow.

>
> Unemployment in Glasgow North East is now higher under Labour than it was
>  when Gordon Brown became Chancellor.
>
> David Kerr said:
>
>

> “Only the SNP will fight for Glasgow's banking jobs, and we need
guarantees that the new proposals offer more than a direct line to the

bread line from Gordon Brown.
>
> “As an SNP MP for this area – jobs in this constituency will be my top
> priority and I will speak up strongly and loudly against any threat to

> them.  The way to fight for Glasgow jobs is for the folk of Glasgow
North East to elect an SNP MP who will work in partnership with the
Scottish Government, 100% focused on Scottish interests.

>
> “Unemployment in Glasgow North East is already higher under Labour than
> it was when Gordon Brown first became Chancellor.
“The way to secure a strong future for jobs in Glasgow’s financial services is to send an SNP MP to Westminster to speak up for Glasgow and to speak up for our jobs.

“The UK Government owns these banks, any sell off that puts Glasgow’s jobs or Scotland’s economy at risk is unacceptable.

"John Swinney has made that abundantly clear in the letters he sent to the
Chancellor of the Exchequer and the European Commission.

“The UK Government owns these banks, and only a vote for the SNP will hold them to account.  They owe it to the people on the frontline to
protect their jobs."

SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie said:
“Competition in banking is good, but at least 1,600 jobs are under
threat in this city, and the potential loss of local branches 

and uncertainty of ordinary workers in financial services is worrying for many.

“Yesterday the SNP spoke up for Scotland in Westminster, challenging the Chancellor and the UK Government on the future for Glasgow’s loyal workforce.  A vote for David Kerr will send a strong voice to Westminster to speak up for the people at the frontline of financial services.

SNP MP for Glasgow East John Mason, who is also the party’s work and pensions spokesman, said:

“Last year voters in Glasgow sent a message to London, that rising prices and years of neglect were unacceptable.

“Next week voters in Glasgow North East can do the same and tell Labour that they are letting Scotland down.   We are already seeing job losses threatened by the Labour council, now there is uncertainty over jobs at our banks.

“Retail workers are already facing up to job losses.  A vote for the SNP will tell the UK Government that Glasgow’s workers will not pay for
Labour’s broken economy.”