BBC NEWS | Scotland: "The Scottish Executive has defended spending ?41m on land along the route of the planned M74 extension before it gave the project the go-ahead.

The executive has decided to press ahead with the project despite a public inquiry ruling against it.

The land purchase aimed to minimise disruption to businesses forced to relocate because of the extension.

However, protesters said the move showed that public consultation on the plan had been a sham.

The Scottish Socialist MSP, Rosie Kane, said the emergence of the land purchases had given campaigners the green light to go ahead with direct action against contractors on the M74.

'If the Scottish Executive has no regard for the law and due process, why should we?,' she asked."