‘Disgrace’ as MSPs vote not to protect city cash

Dundee’s two SNP MSPs were branded “disgraceful” for voting against a bid to stop a 79% cut to cash set aside for the poorest children in their areas.

Joe FitzPatrick and Shona Robison initially declined our request to say why they refused to side with Labour’s move to safeguard attainment gap cash, instead issuing a general statement.

The MSPs later released comments in their own names, calling their opponents’ demands a “stunt”.

Last year, we revealed plans to change how funds are distributed to cut the poverty-related attainment gap in schools. The shake-up meant cash previously shared by Scotland’s nine most deprived council areas is stretched across all 32.

Dundee schools will lose around £4.9 million in the next four years, including £1.2 million dropped from the budget in 2022-23.

MSPs could have voted last Wednesday at Holyrood to call on ministers to reinstate full funding for the nine “challenge authorities”, including Dundee.

But SNP and Green MSPs – including Mr FitzPatrick and Ms Robison – voted to amend the motion and the instruction to replace the funding.

North East Labour MSP Michael Marra, who led the move at Holyrood, said: “Dundee is set to lose £5m of vital education funding as a result of SNP votes in Parliament. For SNP members from Dundee to vote through this cut is disgraceful.”

Mr FitzPatrick said: “The vote...was a stunt by Labour MSPs to deflect from the reality that this was a decision agreed at Cosla by their Labour council leader colleagues from across Scotland.”

Ms Robison said: “Changes to the funding formula for the Scottish Attainment Challenge were agreed by council leaders, including Labour leaders, from across Scotland at Cosla.”