HUME CONDEMNS TORY GUTTER POLITICS

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 11th Apr 2008

Contact Fiona Milne 0131 348 6703

Jim Hume, Councillor for Galashiels & District and MSP for the South of Scotland, has today responded to the recent spurious allegations made by the local tory party in the Borders.

Jim Hume said:-

“This is simply negative campaigning and quite frankly I seriously question the figures which look as though they’ve been conjured from thin air - typical of the tories and very unfortunate that they have to resort to this form of gutter politics. I’ve attended 100% Council Planning Committee meetings, 92% of Eildon Area Committee meetings and have only missed three big Council meetings – once because of a longstanding family wedding, once because of a flu bug and once because of a clash with another longstanding commitment. In terms of community groups, I’m one of the best attendees at Gala Community Council.

“My job is to serve my constituents and I've been doing that well through close contacts with Gala Community Council and individual constituents through my surgeries and home visits. As a result have been working on a number of local issues in the town in my capacity as Councillor and MSP. I've just completed my shop survey and am working with the Council on a number of issues that came up including better signage (now in the process of implementation having just had an early morning meeting with the relevant Council official), measures to encourage more shoppers to visit their local small businesses in Gala Town Centre and a farmers' market which has proven immensely popular. I'm working on mountain biking opportunities for Gala and am due to meet with colleagues and Council officials on that very subject in the next couple of weeks.

“Being MSP for the area means I'm able to raise the profile of Gala issues at a higher level and as such get things done quicker.

The MSP continued:-

“I’m surprised at Chris Walker who appears to have little else to do whilst on holiday.

“I have invited Mr Walker to spend an ordinary seven day working week with me so I can show him how I manage to do both jobs as successfully as I do. So far he has not accepted, though he did say to me that he hoped I took his press release “in the spirit in which it was intended” and suggested we should “meet for a beer afterwards”.

“Perhaps instead of spending their time criticising those who are actually doing the job and doing it well, the tories in the Borders should focus on serving their constituents as they promised to do last May."