Failing to dual the A9 has been cited as one of “100 broken promises” of the SNP’s time in government.
Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray made the claim as he launched his election campaign by accusing the minority government of failing to deliver on its flagship policies since taking power.
With the Holyrood elections 100 days away, Mr Gray unveiled a file of “100 broken promises” from the SNP’s 2007 manifesto.
The list includes replacing student loans with means-tested grants, maintaining teacher numbers, reducing class sizes in primary schools and dualling the A9.
Mr Gray said, “In just 100 days, Scotland will choose its course for the next 1000 days.
“I am standing to be First Minister and win this election because Scotland deserves better.
“After four years, many people feel the SNP hasn’t done enough for us and my message is that Scotland deserves better than broken promises from politicians.”
He added, “Sometimes, governments can’t do everything they want, but at the very least they must be honest with voters.
“The list of SNP broken promises is in a different league. It now stands at over 100.
“All their flagship policies the ones they put on billboards and election leaflets across the country have been broken.”
The SNP rejected the claims, calling them a “laughable distortion of reality” and demanding Mr Gray apologised for “deliberately misleading the public.”‘Littered with misquotes’Michael Matheson MSP said the manifesto had been misquoted 20 times.
He said, “If anyone doubted that Iain Gray was not fit to be First Minister, it is this laughable distortion of reality.
“It is wrong littered with misquotes, mistakes and misrepresentations and is a massive own goal by Labour, who have revealed to the world that they have absolutely nothing positive to say all they are capable of is negative fantasy politics.”
He added, “Labour have sunk so low they are deliberately misleading the public in a desperate effort to talk down the achievements of the SNP. Iain Gray should apologise.”
Mr Matheson said that certain manifesto commitments such as scrapping the council tax had not been met because the government had been defeated in parliament.
He said, “The reality is that this government is delivering 90% of our headline manifesto commitments including 1000 additional police officers, scrapping prescription charges, freezing the council tax and delivering the small business bonus to boost jobs and investment.”
The unveiling of the “100 broken promises,” which are to be tweeted by Labour throughout Tuesday, marks an escalation in hostilities between the parties as the election campaign period begins.
The SNP launches its campaign on Tuesday, while Conservative leader Annabel Goldie has pledged to fight a “positive and vigorous” election.
She said, “Without our influence, Scotland would not have 1000 more police, a council tax freeze, lower business rates for our smallest firms and more help for care of the elderly at home.”
The A9 is officially Scotland’s deadliest road and the importance of making it a dual carriageway between Perth and Inverness was debated at the Scottish Parliament last week.