The SNP and Liberal Democrats clashed yesterday over Scottish Government funding for the north-east.
On a visit to Aberdeen Nicola Sturgeon said she was “proud of the SNP’s strong record” of standing up for the area.
But Liberal Democrat deputy leader Sir Malcolm Bruce said the Nationalists had “systematically shortchanged” the region on council funding, transport projects and the NHS.
The two politicians also crossed swords over the oil industry with the first minister accusing the UK Government of playing “fast and loose” with North Sea revenues and mismanaging the industry for “decades”.
But Sir Malcolm, former MP for Gordon, said the Lib Dems had helped deliver a £1.3billion package to secure the industry’s future and established the oil and gas regulator.
The confrontation came as Scottish party leaders prepared for the second televised debate, this time from Aberdeen.
While out campaigning with Kirsty Blackman and Callum McCaig, the party’s respective candidates for Aberdeen North and Aberdeen South, Ms Sturgeon highlighted Scottish Government support for investing in infrastructure projects like the Aberdeen western peripheral route (AWPR) and the Haudagain roundabout.
She said the small business bonus scheme was supporting 2,045 businesses in the city and the council tax freeze had saved around £1,800 for the average Band D home.
“I am proud of the SNP’s strong record of standing up for Aberdeen and the north-east – delivering on infrastructure projects like the AWPR, supporting small business, playing a key role in supporting the oil and gas sector through the Energy Jobs Taskforce and providing funding for the Oil and Gas Innovation Centre,” she said.
“I pledge today that SNP MPs at Westminster will speak as strongly for the north-east in Westminster as we have always done at Holyrood.”
Sire Malcolm said: “The SNP have systematically short changed Aberdeen and the north-east on council funding, on transport projects and by taking their eye off the ball during the referendum they have left our NHS services in crisis.
“We are facing recruitment problems in our schools and we have lost control of our local police and fire services. Their centralisation agenda has taken money and decision making away from us over the last seven years. That is SNP’s record in the north-east.”