SNP Work and Pensions spokesperson, John Mason MP, has today (Monday) joined the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), in condemning the Liberal Democrats after they announced they were dropping a pledge for free personal care from their General Election manifesto.

Commenting, Mr Mason said: "Everyone knows the Liberal Democrats want to make savage cuts, but nobody realised they planned on targeting pensioners and the most vulnerable.

"The Liberal Democrats will remain on the fringes of Scottish politics because they simply do not understand the priorities of the people of Scotland.

"The SNP is governing for the people, and that is why we continue to win support across Scotland. We will continue to back policies vital for Scotland’s health such as free personal care and push forward measures to improve it such as minimum pricing for alcohol. These policies are vital for Scotland’s long term well being and must be above party politics.

"The reality is that the General Election in Scotland will be a two-horse race between the SNP and Labour - and the most recent Scottish poll for Westminster put the SNP ahead, at 34 per cent, compared to 32 per cent for Labour, 15 per cent for the Tories, and 12 per cent for the Lib Dems.

"And an analysis of all elections held throughout 2009 - totalling nearly 1 million votes from the European Parliament, and Westminster and local by-elections - showed that the SNP secured the most votes of any party in Scotland, achieving a 10 per cent swing from Labour on a 4-way party split.

"The real fight in 2010 is not the phoney war between the London parties. The real fight is for Scotland, and to make the coming decade Scotland's decade."