SNP slams £2m ‘backhander’ to DUP for Primark fire as Glasgow loses out

THE SNP has accused the Government of “buying DUP votes” by awarding Belfast money to recover from the Primark fire but nothing for a similar blaze in Glasgow.

Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a £2 million funding package to help regenerate Belfast’s city centre after the historic Bank Buildings was gutted in August.

However, SNP MPs said Glasgow received no funding despite suffering two disastrous fires this year at the city’s School of Art, the celebrated Mackintosh building, in June and at the nearby Victoria’s Nightclub in March.

Alison Thewliss, the MP for Glasgow Central, said the Government had let her city suffer as they depend on the DUP’s 10 MPs as part of their confidence and supply agreement.

“I wrote to the Chancellor last month to plead for a VAT exemption for businesses affected and for buildings in need of repair, as well as investment to regenerate the area, in the wake of the dreadful fire — it’s clear from the UK Government’s Budget that those pleas fell on deaf ears,” she said.

The Mackintosh building had previously caught fire in 2014 and this year’s disaster destroyed a massive £35m of restoration work.

Ms Thewliss said the funding decision was “hardly surprising”.

“The Tories are too busy buy-

Bank Buildings in Belfast were gutted by fire in August, and (right) the Glasgow School of Art, also destroyed by a blaze

ing DUP votes by investing in Belfast, whilst completely ignoring those in similar circumstances in Glasgow,” she added.

“It proves that the UK Government hold my constituents in contempt in its use of brazen political back-handers.”

The Treasury said it had already committed £10m for the Glasgow School of Art after the 2014 fire and said it would continue heavy investment, with a £500m City Deal for Glasgow over 20 years.

The Primark fire has left 14 businesses unable to trade in the city centre with a security cordon remaining in place.

Last month an economic assessment said the fire was costing Belfast up to £3million a month.

Aodhan Connolly, the head of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, said the £2m figure fell short of expectations with the fire causing a 50% drop in footfall in some areas.

There was also controversy after the Belfast region was awarded a City Deal in Monday’s Budget of £350m over 20 years.

Sinn Fein MP Paul Maskey had criticised the lack of funding for the north west, saying: “Disgracefully the north west has received nothing but more promis

es from a Tory Government.” His party colleague Mairtin O Muilleoir MLA said the Budget was full of “smoke and mirrors” and the reality meant it was not enough to keep up with the rate of inflation.

However, DUP MP Nigel Dodds hit back yesterday.

He claimed Sinn Fein was trying to distract from an “electoral catastrophe” of finishing fourth in last week’s Irish presidential election.

Mr Dodds said the extra £1bn in the Budget for Northern Ireland was on top of the same amount previously secured through the DUP’s confidence

and supply agreement with the Torie. “Everyone from every part of Northern Ireland will benefit from the announcements in the Budget,” he said.

“From City Deals to extra funding for Universal Credit, from a fuel duty freeze to a tax threshold increases.

“Whilst Sinn Fein stands on the sidelines, the DUP has been centre stage using our influence to deliver record levels of investment for Northern Ireland.

“Sinn Fein have delivered nothing but hot air and bombast whilst the DUP has delivered real new investment for Northern Ireland.”