SMITH SLAMS SNP'S BROKEN POLICE PROMISE

12.00.00am GMT Tue 13th Nov 2007

North East Fife MSP, Iain Smith has slammed the hypocrisy of the SNP after the Cabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill announced that the Scottish Government will now only recruit an additional 500 officers nationwide instead of the 1000 promised.

Iain Smith MSP said, "Only 3 weeks ago SNP MSP Nigel Don said in the chamber that the government had responsibility to deliver on its manifesto pledge for 1000 extra police across Scotland. While another SNP MSP Brain Adam was lauding the achievements of the SNP government and how his region would receive an equal proportion of 1000 extra police.

"The reality is that Fife will only get half of the 30 new police officers over the next 3 years, rather than over 60 we were promised.

" The SNP have badly let down local communities in North East Fife such as Anstruther and Springfield or Tayport as we will be lucky to see one extra police officer on duty over the whole of North East Fife, rather than more police in every community as a result of the SNP breaking their election promise."

ENDS