Braveheart buffoonery!
SNP in bid to hijack publicity for £214m deal
SNP council chiefs tried to hijack publicity for a multi-million-pound investment in Scotland by demanding a ‘Braveheart backdrop’ for the signing of a city deal.
The row with UK officials threatened to postpone the agreement, which will see £214million spent on developments in the Stirling area.
Nationalist leaders had demanded the deal was signed off at the National Wallace Monument. The request sparked a clash with UK Government officials, with a source claiming the venue was ‘wholly inappropriate’.
The monument celebrates the life of Nationalist icon Sir William Wallace, who fought to secure Scotland’s independence. According to a source, the SNP demand risked ‘delaying’ the deal – but ‘sense prevailed’.
A source said: ‘The Wallace Monument was a wholly inappropriate venue to launch the deal, not least because it’s not connected to any of the projects in any way.
‘It is extraordinary that SNP councillors would risk delaying such a huge investment for the sake of a Braveheart backdrop. We are very pleased that sense prevailed and the UK and Scottish governments have been able to work together to deliver a great deal for the area.’
The Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal was officially signed off at an event at the Forth Valley College campus in Stirling yesterday.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, Transport Secretary Michael Matheson and other officials agreed the £214million investment, which will fund a new tartan centre in Stirling and the development of fishing technology at Stirling University.
It is understood that Labour-SNP Stirling Council and SNP-led Clackmannanshire had urged officials to hold the city deal event at the Wallace Monument. A spokesman for the councils claimed ‘maintenance’ work on the monument meant the event could not be held there.
The latest city deal will see the funding invested in projects to boost skills, digital technology and tourism in the region.
Speaking at the event Mr Jack said: ‘This is a big step forward for the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal, which will be transformational for the region’s economy, creating jobs and boosting prosperity for the long term.
‘The UK Government is investing more than £45million in projects in Stirling and Clackmannanshire, including in tourism, aquaculture and the environment.
‘This is one of the many City Region and Growth Deals across Scotland, in which the UK Government is investing more than £1.4billion.’
Mr Matheson said: ‘This signing is a milestone moment. It will make a real lasting difference to the future of the region and inject confidence into the economy, improving the quality of life for local people.
‘Not only will this deal create new high-value jobs, it will help safeguard the local economy and strengthen communities across Stirling and Clackmannanshire.’