Labour leader facing pressure to clarify party’s position on Westminster funding mechanism

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale was under pressure over her party’s commitment to the Barnett Formula, the funding mechanism which determines how much cash Scotland receives from Westminster.

Her Labour colleague Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones said he would scrap Barnett, which Ms Dugdale has passionately guarded as worth £4bn and 138,000 jobs to Scotland.

Speaking in Forfar, Nicola Sturgeon said she was “pretty astounded” by Mr Jones’ comments. “It does sound as if Labour are shaping up, if they are in a position to do so, of effectively taking £4bn out of public spending in Scotland and I think there is a real obligation on Labour to come forward and clarify the position urgently,” she said.

Paul Masterton, the Scottish Conservative candidate in East Renfrewshire, said: “She (Ms Dugdale) must condemn his (Jones’) comments and make it crystal clear that she has a commitment from Jeremy Corbyn that this is not Labour Party policy.”

Ms Dugdale said on Tuesday: “The UK Labour Party manifesto is very clear – it supports the Barnett Formula. It includes an additional £3bn coming to Scotland from UK-wide spending decisions.

“I spoke to Carwyn Jones this morning and we’re both focused on fighting for a fair deal for Scotland and Wales.

“You only get that with Labour – the Tories want to strip back investment and the SNP wants to break up the UK, which would mean the end of the Barnett Formula.”