Bill Kidd MSP has today written to the Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray MP, about £15 million of Levelling Up funding for Drumchapel which Labour promised to deliver during the election, saying “this must not be another promise that was made solely for the purpose of winning an election” and calling for Labour to “restore respect for Scottish democracy.”
The MSP for Glasgow Anniesland raised the matter today in Holyrood, asking what discussions had taken place between the Scottish and UK Governments and emphasising that the funding must be delivered to Holyrood to ensure the money is spent on Scotland’s priorities and devolution is respected.
This comes following confirmation that all levelling up funding promised to Scotland – amounting to over £100 million to areas like Drumchapel, Dundee and Shetland – is “under review” as part of the Labour government’s programme of austerity measures, which will be laid out in further detail in their budget this month.
Commenting, Bill Kidd MSP said:
“Communities like Drumchapel were promised millions of pounds of investment, without any involvement of their Scottish Government, which is now in jeopardy with Labour in power.
“This very situation demonstrates that Westminster cannot be trusted, regardless of whether the Tories or Labour Party are in power.
“The only sure thing is that promises will go unkept and Scottish democracy will be repeatedly undermined.
“The funding that was promised must be delivered to Scotland’s parliament so that those elected to represent areas like Glasgow Anniesland can rightly make the best decisions for those communities.
“The Labour Party has an opportunity to take a different approach from what has been done before, however it looks increasingly unlikely that they will seize it.
“We know that the Labour Party give little thought to Scotland, taking away the Winter Fuel Payment from over 800,000 Scottish pensioners and eyeing up our public services for £22 billion of cuts.
“The people of Drumchapel deserve better.
“The Secretary of State must end the practice of eroding Scottish democracy and deliver the funding that was promised to communities like the one I represent.
“I look forward to his explanation of how he plans to do so.”
