Speaking after a visit to Scott Murray Motorcycles in the Dunfermline and West Fife constituency, former Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Nicol Stephen MSP and local candidate Willie Rennie have called on the banks to start lending to successful businesses in need of loans.

Nicol Stephen said:

“Taxpayers already own massive stakes in many high street banks but those banks still won’t meet their own legally binding targets for lending.

“Many successful businesses need money upfront and it’s in all our interests that they get it.

“Labour has turned a blind eye to bad banking practice. Liberal Democrats would force state-backed banks like RBS and HBOS to start lending. If they didn’t meet our binding new targets, the Board of Directors would be held responsible and fired.

“That’s real action to get banks lending and deliver a fair deal for Scottish business.

Willie Rennie added:

“Small businesses in this constituency need cash flow to survive.

“Labour has brought the banks under public ownership but has not made them serve the public interest.

“Businesses like Scott Murray Motorcycles deserve a fair deal from their banks, not a battle to access the money they need to grow.

“That is what the Liberal Democrats will deliver”.