LABOUR yesterday mocked the SNP's manifesto as "the longest betting slip in history", as they accused the Nationalists of making unaffordable spending commitments.

Labour claimed the SNP's pledges would total at least £8bn over the next four years, theoretically equivalent to 7p in the pound on income tax.

Labour presented what it claimed was a detailed breakdown of 10 key SNP spending areas.

The attack reflected Labour's belief that the key SNP weakness is a lack of financial competence.

Allan Wilson, Deputy Enterprise Minister, likened the SNP's ideas to the disastrous Labour General Election manifesto of 1983, dubbed the longest suicide note in history.

He said: "This is longest betting slip in history."

The SNP said: "It's embarrassing that a party of government should waste their time on nonsense like this that no-one believes, not even them."