MSP calls for clean slate on housing debt

A LOTHIANS SNP MSP has called for cross-party support for the campaign to write off Edinburgh’s housing debt.

Shirley-Anne Somerville attacked Chancellor Alistair Darling for using billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to prop up Northern Rock while failing to write off the Capital’s £280m debt burden.

She said: “Housing debt is crippling Scotland’s local authorities and contributing to the real shortage of homes facing Edinburgh.

“In recent months Alistair Darling has given over £57 billion to Northern Rock with little chance of getting all or any of it back. That could have covered Edinburgh’s housing debt over 200 times.

“The Scottish Government has given its support to affordable housing in the city and to encouraging local authorities to support new social housing, but without a debate write-off, many councils will be wary of investing.”

She has lodged a motion on the issue and said she hoped all Edinburgh MSPs would support her call for the debt to be written off and housing in the Capital given the opportunity for a new start.