Fear of Scottish independence behind Glasgow’s £500m boost from Treasury says Sturgeon
Scotland’s deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon has played down a £500m funding announcement by David Cameron, suggesting the money is in response to the threat of Scottish independence, an outcome the Prime Minister is keen to avoid.
Cameron announced Glasgow as the first Scottish city to win a sought-after city deal with the Treasury yesterday, including a £500m funding package.
Calling on the Scottish government to match the spending plans, the Prime Minister said: “For too long governments in London and Edinburgh have acted as though taking powers away from Britain’s great cities is the best way to create growth, rather than trusting the people living there to find their own specific solutions to meet their own unique needs.”
However Sturgeon came out fighting, claiming the Prime Minister is only offering the funding because of the threat of Scottish independence. “The UK’s proposed £15m a year is dwarfed by the Scottish government’s on-going investment in Glasgow,” she said, adding: “The only way to avoid the situation where we get ignored again post-September is to vote Yes.”