SALMOND FORMALLY ADOPTED AS CANDIDATE FOR ABERDEENSHIRE EAST

Scottish National Party leader and First Minister Alex Salmond was formally adopted as the SNP Scottish Parliamentary candidate for the new Aberdeenshire East constituency at an event on Friday in New Deer, Aberdeenshire. The guest speaker was SNP Chief Whip Stewart Hosie MP.

The redrawn constituency includes the majority of Mr Salmond’s existing Gordon seat and large parts of the former Banff and Buchan constituency previously represented by Mr Salmond as MP.

Speaking, Mr Salmond said:

"In 2007, the people of this constituency showed the way by voting for the SNP to become Scotland’s Government.

"A lot has achieved – in fact, 90% of our headline manifesto commitments have been delivered. Of course, there is more to do. With your support again this May, we will keep the 1,000 extra police on our streets and take even more money from the criminals to give back to communities. We will freeze the Council Tax for another two years, protecting family budgets in the face of rising VAT and higher prices. We will protect NHS budgets, ensuring treatment continues to improve and we will demand fair fuel prices.

"And with your support we can secure new powers for the Scottish parliament; powers that will enable us to create even more new jobs in the years ahead.

"Under an SNP Government, substantial progress has been made in Aberdeenshire East. The recent announcement of the dualling of the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty will create a continuous dual carriageway between Ellon and Aberdeen. We’ve also taken a big step in solving the notorious bottleneck at Inveramsay Bridge, with the design contract now out to tender. The figures say it all – since the SNP came to power there are 256 more nurses in Grampian, 824 modern apprenticeships created in Aberdeenshire, 183 new police officers on the streets of Grampian and 5 new schools completed in Aberdeenshire East.

"Scotland's election takes place in just a matter of weeks. With the continued support of people in Aberdeenshire we can build on the work of the past four years. Together, we can make Scotland better. In May, vote for a Scottish Government working for Scotland. Vote for an SNP Government."