Miliband, Murphy and Balls attack SNP full fiscal autonomy plans – but there’s another poor Scotland poll for Labour

In a joint press conference in Edinburgh this morning, Ed Miliband and Jim Murphy will attack the SNP’s plans for “full fiscal autonomy” – a change that could cost £7.6 billion.

Miliband and Murphy – who are expected to discuss the party’s performance against the SNP after two Scottish TV debates this week, and ahead of next week’s “challengers debate” – will also criticise the Scottish Nationalist’s plan to abandon the Barnett formula.

Yet the event risks being overshadowed by a poor – even by recent standards – Scotland poll. The YouGov poll, published in the Times, has the SNP on 49% with Labour falling to just 25%. That would leave Labour on just 4 seats on May 7th – a catastrophic result by any measure.

Here’s what Ed Miliband is expected to say at tomorrow’s press conference:

This week we learnt about the choice between Labour and the SNP at this election.

We learned about their plans for what they call “full fiscal autonomy”.

Nicola Sturgeon signed up to immediate full fiscal autonomy on Wednesday night, and yesterday morning one of her ministers told us the cost.

First, it will mean an end to the Barnett Formula, which has served the working people of Scotland well and Jim Murphy has said will be secure “today, tomorrow and forever” under Labour.

It means that Scotland’s public services are properly funded and that is why generations of Scottish politicians have fought to defend it.

Second, full fiscal autonomy will mean a £7.6bn hole in Scotland’s finances.

A £7.6bn gap that would need to be filled with more taxes on working people or more borrowing.

You can’t build social justice with a £7.6 billion funding gap because the burdens of it would fall on working families across Scotland.

In contrast, Labour does have a plan for social justice because all our plans are all fully funded and costed.

Because that is how we will protect working people.

The SNP can’t say how they will fill this £7.6bn gap.

Third, it means the end to pooling and sharing across the UK.

It means the benefits of Labour policies, like the mansion tax for the NHS and the bank bonus tax to pay for jobs for our young people won’t be felt in Scotland.

This strikes to the very heart of what I believe in.

I will never sell Scotland short by signing up to the SNP’s plans.

So this is the choice at this election.

A choice between a Tory Party that only wants to help those at the top.

A £7.6 billion funding gap from the SNP, which will hit working people hard.

Or a Labour party that knows Britain will only succeed if working people succeed.

With fully costed plans and the right values to change Britain.

A Labour Party with a better plan, for a better future.