MP demands answers in cash row
Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP Gavin Newlands has slammed UK ministers for grabbing tens of millions of pounds from Scotland – just weeks after promising its delivery.
Earlier this month the UK Government announced extra funding for small businesses and charities, and through the normal funding formula £ 70million was promised would come to the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government.
But Mr Newlands has now criticised Tory Treasury ministers for going back on their word, even after the grants to business were paid out.
Some of the funding went to local charities who have been at the heart of supporting local communities through the coronavirus pandemic.
Scottish Government ministers have now written to their UK counterparts demanding the issue is fixed immediately.
Mr Newlands joined their calls and demanded answers from the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
He said: “This funding is paid for by Scottish taxpayers and it is simply unacceptable for the UK Government to keep it in their already well-stuffed accounts while businesses and charities in Scotland are on their knees due to coronavirus.
“Thousands of small businesses across Renfrewshire have received Scottish Government support over recent weeks, and that support was due to be funded in Scotland under the promises made by the Chancellor and his team. They have quite simply torn up those pledges and decided to sit on the cash.
“I know that UK ministers are currently spending more time defending the actions of their boss Dominic Cummings and his criminal 500- mile round trip to Durham, but perhaps they could spend a bit less time on Twitter and a bit more time ensuring the promises they made a matter of weeks ago are actually kept.
“It’s yet more evidence that the more the UK Government are able to interfere in Scotland’s fiscal affairs, the more damage they do, and it’s time they stepped away from that role completely and let Scotland get on with managing our own finances.”