Commenting on the 'announcement' from Alex Salmond that tomorrow's budget statement will reveal a real-terms decline in spending for the first time in 17 years, Liberal Democrat Finance spokesperson Jeremy Purvis MSP said:

"It should not be a surprise to SNP Ministers that they are now facing a real terms cut in next year's budget.

"The SNP Government's own Director General of Finance, Stella Manzi, warned the Finance Committee in April that accelerating capital funds, together with the Westminster reduction would lead to a 1 per cent real terms cut in next years Budget.

"The SNP have had five months to prepare for this.

"The question now is what has Alex Salmond done in the last five months to protect frontline services in Scotland?

"The SNP cannot keep blaming Westminster for their own inaction. The Scottish people want support from the First Minister, not political finger pointing."

Ends.