LEADING businessman Sir Tom Farmer today revealed he will vote for the SNP in next month's elections.
The multi-millionaire Kwik-Fit founder said he did not accept the "scare stories" from the Nationalists' opponents. The Edinburgh business tycoon donated £100,000 to the SNP last year in a bid to create a "level playing field" with other parties but
refused to say who he would be backing.
Today he was among 100 business people who signed an advert backing the SNP and Alex Salmond.
Others include Stagecoach boss Brian Souter, who has given the party £500,000; Sir George Mathewson, former chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland; Sandy Orr of MacDonald Orr; Tommy Miah of the Raj Group; David Urquhart of David Urquhart Travel Ltd; and Crawford Beveridge, former chief executive of Scottish Enterprise.
Sir Tom said: "When the election campaign started I'd hoped we'd have a real quality debate between the main political parties. Instead it seems the most important objective of several parties is to attack the SNP and ignore putting in front of voters firm proposals of plans for the next few years.
"I do not accept the scare stories being spread of fire and flood if we decide to stand up for ourselves.
"There is no sense of responsibility under the current set up. Right now Scotland has a management team - what we need is a government. I have come to the conclusion that the SNP led by Alex Salmond has the ability and the proposals to take Scotland forward, and they have my full support and my vote."
Meanwhile, Scottish football legends today teamed up to voice their support for the Union without backing any particular party.
Big names including Scotland boss Alex McLeish and Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson put their name to an advertising campaign urging voters to keep Britain together.
The advert states: "We are proud Scots who have been proud to represent our country around the world.
"We are proud that Scotland has always stood on its own two feet, but we also believe that Scotland stands taller because we are part of the United Kingdom.
"The United Kingdom is a country Scotland helped build.
"We urge every patriotic Scot to help maintain Scotland's place in the United Kingdom which has served Scotland well."
Those backing the ad include Rangers manager Walter Smith, former Scotland boss Craig Brown, Rangers legends John Greig, Graeme Souness, Ally McCoist and Sandy Jardine, Lisbon Lions Billy McNeill, Bobby Lennox, Bertie Auld and Tommy Gemmell and former Celtic and Aberdeen star Roy Aitken.
Ex-Scotland captain Gary McAllister and Dundee United manager and Hearts legend Craig Levein also lend their names to the campaign.
First Minister Jack McConnell today targeted undecided voters with a warning that the SNP posed a "clear and immediate danger" to hardworking Scots.
He said: "The SNP's sums just don't add up. And the consequence will be that every hardworking family will have to pay more tax to make the SNP's books balance."
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen today pledged a "zero tolerance" approach to bullying backed by £6m of extra funding. Visiting Edinburgh's Blackhall Primary School, he said: "Too many children suffer the pain and anguish of bullying in schools. It's an issue parents tell me is at the top of their concerns.
"We will take a zero tolerance approach to bullying and violence in the classroom. We will give young people themselves a say in how to deal with bullies. Every school will be asked to do more to support kids and beat bullying in Scotland's schools."
Scottish Conservative leader Annabel Goldie called for American-style yellow school buses to replace parents dropping youngsters off in cars. She said: "Yellow buses would cut congestion and reduce emissions, and most importantly they would be much safer than the school run. Indeed, statistics show they are nearly one hundred times safer."
The full article contains 663 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
