Cities deal snub by ministers is ‘shocking abuse’, says MP

Pete Wishart says vital meeting requests are turned down

Conservative ministers are snubbing SNP MPs on issues such as the Tay Cities Deal in favour of meeting Tory colleagues, according to Pete Wishart.

The Perthshire MP fears access to senior figures in the UK Government has become “dangerously politicised”.

Mr Wishart said he and others on the nationalist benches had seen requests for meetings with secretaries of state refused or ignored on important topics, such as the £1 billion plus city deal and a seasonal agricultural workers scheme.

Meanwhile, Tory MPs secure meetings that are then highlighted on social media to help them win public support, the Perth and North Perthshire representative said.

Mr Wishart, who had written to Cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood, revealed he has been told to “take it up with the minister in the tea room”, which he described as “utterly unacceptable”.

The longest-serving SNP MP said: “It has become increasingly concerning that access to UK Government ministers has become compromised, dangerously politicised and co-ordinated to give party political advantage to Scottish Tory MPs – something I believe breaches the good faith of the ministerial code. This is a shocking abuse of ministerial party patronage.”

The SNP said Dundee MPs Chris Law and Stewart Hosie, as well as Mr Wishart, tried to get a meeting with Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss on delays to the Tay Cities Deal, but the request was refused. Social media revealed she met a Scottish Conservative MP on the same issue.

In another alleged example, Angus MP Kirstene Hair met Home Secretary Sajid Javid in the same week a new visa scheme for farm workers was outlined. Mr Wishart, chairman of the Scottish Affairs Committee, said he did not get anywhere with his bid for a meeting.

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: “All requests by MPs to discuss matters of policy with ministers are considered on an equal and fair basis.”

Picture: Chris Austin. SNP MP Pete Wishart has written to Cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood.