SNP accuse PM of airbrushing site

The site is designed to reflect initiatives across the UK

Gordon Brown has been branded "petty" by the SNP after policies by the Scottish government to combat recession were removed from a website.

The "real help now" website was launched by the prime minister to list action being taken around Britain.

It initially included Scottish measures such as a council tax freeze and flexible business support but the SNP claim these have been "airbrushed" out.

The Cabinet Office, which runs the site, said it was updated all the time.

A spokesman said: "The real help now website brings together the help available to families and businesses affected by the current economic climate.

"It is constantly being updated with news from across the UK."

'Whitewash'

But the SNP has accused the government of removing help being offered by the Scottish government and replacing it with a link to "an out-of-date Scotland Office statement" less than 24 hours after the site was launched.

SNP Scotland Office spokesperson, Angus MacNeil said the move made Gordon Brown "look more like Winston Smith than Winston Churchill" - a reference to a character from George Orwell's 1984 who rewrote newspaper articles to make them reflect the party line.

Mr MacNeil said: "Apart from making Gordon Brown look incredibly petty, he has replaced the real economic action taken by the Scottish Government with a link to a department which is all but irrelevant in tackling the financial crisis.

"Instead of website whitewashes, if Gordon Brown is serious about tackling the economic crisis, he should rule out Labour's planned cuts to public spending in Scotland which would be so damaging in the teeth of recession."

The "real help now site" is modelled on US President Barack Obama's "recovery" website as part of his economic plan, which he says aims to show the American people where their money is going.

No 10 says it wants to enable people to find details of the support it was giving workers, employers and homeowners "in one place".