Pictured: Angus MacNeil SNP MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar.
Commenting on the Chancellor’s Summer Statement, Angus MacNeil SNP MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar said:
“The Chancellor yesterday announced a range of measures in his statement to support the economic recovery, however, none of these go far enough.
“The Scottish Government called for an £80Bn stimulus package which has been ignored and the Chancellor’s statement falls short of what is required to support our economy.
“In May, I called on the UK Treasury to take account of the health policies of the devolved nations when considering the furlough scheme, the Chancellor’s decision to end this scheme will be devastating for many.
“It is essential that the Treasury supports business as the financial impact of this pandemic will be felt for a long time.
“On Tuesday, I participated in a cross-party online meeting of the Excluded UK All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to stand up for the 3 million people in the UK who are being excluded from receiving financial support from the Treasury.
“It is good to see that over a quarter of MPs in the House of Commons, from all parties support this campaign.
“Therefore, it is shameful that today the Chancellor made no announcement on extending the duration of The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) or to extend support to the millions of people who are currently excluded from receiving any financial support.
“A VAT cut from 20% to 5% for tourism is good news and something I have long campaigned for, but six-months is not long enough as this will end mid-winter when tourism is generally quiet.
“Scotland should not be at the mercy of the Tories economic policies.
“It is only with independence that Scotland will be able to make its own financial decisions.”
