TROUGH LUCK
Sunak accused of pork barrel politics as Tory seats get extra funding while more deprived areas miss out
TORY-HELD constituencies in Scotland have been bumped up the priority list for funding from Rishi Sunak’s Budget ahead of some of the most deprived areas in the country.
The SNP has accused Sunak of “pork-barrel politics” by funnelling cash to Tory target areas under the levelling up scheme that bypasses the Scottish Government.
According to the Treasury list of priority areas, local authorities in South Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders have been listed for help at the expense of areas of higher deprivation.
The Dumfries and Galloway area is part of Scottish Secretary Alister Jack’s constituency and the Borders seat at Westminster is held by Tory MP John Lamont.
Deprivation levels for the lowest three earning groups in the Borders is ten per cent and in Dumfries and Galloway the deprivation levels are at 19 per cent.
In contrast, council areas like Clackmannanshire, with 40 per cent deprivation levels, and West Lothian, with 25 per cent deprivation among lower earners, are classed in “category two” of the Treasury rankings.
Keith Brown, SNP depute
leader and MSP for Clackmannanshire, was outraged.
He said the rankings “seem to be a blatant example of Tory pork barrel politics”.
He said: “Instead of allocating so-called ‘levelling up’ funds based purely on need, they want to bolster support in the vanishingly few areas of Scotland where their callous policies have not yet been entirely rejected.
Brown added: “True to form, the Tories have concocted a priority list which appears to be based on cynical self-interest to reward some areas ahead of others based on who votes Tory. If there is another explanation, Scotland needs to hear it.
The levelling up fund will bring £800million to devolved nations and will be sent to local authorities directly from Westminster.
Scottish trade minister Ivan McKee, appearing before MPs on the Scottish Affairs committee, also hit out at the lack of consultations over the funds and deciding on areas most in need. Describing the fund as part of an “assault on devolution”, he said: “We’ve been rebuffed and ignored by the UK Government at every turn, which is hugely disappointing despite various efforts to engage in a grown up way.”
An HM Treasury spokesman said: “All local areas in the UK will be able to apply for funding through the levelling up fund. The bandings do not represent eligibility criteria – and money will be allocated to areas most in need.”