A leading economist has warned George Osborne's austerity drive casts a dark shadow over the fragile economic recovery in Scotland.
The warning by Brian Ashcroft, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Strathclyde, came as the university's Fraser of Allander Institute trimmed its forecasts for growth in Scotland for this year and 2016.
"We should not underestimate the threats to the recovery from rising household debt, little growth in real wages, the dark shadow of further austerity and the rising possibility of Greece leaving the euro," said Mr Ashcroft.
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