Ruth to have ‘huge impact’ upon Hammond’s Budget
RUTH Davidson will have a ‘huge impact’ on Philip Hammond’s Budget next month, Treasury ministers have revealed.
The Scottish Conservative leader has been lobbying the Chancellor relentlessly for extra cash to be spent in Scotland.
It is understood her key demands include extra assistance for the North Sea oil and gas industry, protecting the Scotch whisky industry from excise duty rises, and a renewal of the commitment to a series of lucrative ‘city deals’ north of the Border.
Stephen Barclay, Economic Secretary to the Treasury, said: ‘Ruth Davidson will have a huge impact on the Budget, both through her leadership in Scotland but also through the formidable 13 Conservative MPs, who have already been lobbying vigorously in the Treasury, ensuring that the voice of Scotland is very much heard at Westminster.’
During the Tory conference in Manchester earlier this month, Miss Davidson said she had been pressing the Chancellor for extra funds, adding: ‘We are working hard to ensure that people understand that this is a UK government which is delivering for the whole of the UK and the whole of the Scotland.’
It is understood that she has been demanding a new package of measures to help Scotland become a world leader in securing contracts for decommissioning oil platforms.
Scottish Tory MPs are also pressing for the Chancellor to avoid any further increases in excise duty. A senior Scottish Conservative source said: ‘Nobody wants to see duty on whisky going up.’
Miss Davidson has also been lobbying the Chancellor to press ahead with City Deals for all Scottish cities in line with the £300million, 15-year package announced for Edinburgh earlier this year. Glasgow has been awarded a similar deal but negotiations for Perth, Dundee and Stirling are still in progress.
During Mr Hammond’s speech at the Conservative conference, he said Miss Davidson was ‘an inspiration to us all’.