THE SNP have hit out at Theresa May over her “cynical, last-minute  Brexit bung” to English constituencies.

The UK Government yesterday unveiled a Stronger Towns Fund worth £1.6 billion for “left-behind communities”.

The Prime Minister’s troubled Brexit deal is set to come before the Commons again next week, and the move has been seen as a bid to secure further votes.

The SNP’s deputy leader at Westminster, Kirsty Blackman, warned Labour MPs not to be “bought off by giving support to a damaging Tory Brexit deal, which we know would be devastating for jobs, living standards and the economy”.

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While £1bn of the package has been allocated to various English regions, another £600 million will be open to a bidding process from other keen towns south of the Border – it remains unclear how much will come to Scotland in Barnett consequentials.

Blackman said: “This is pork barrel politics at its worst. Labour MPs must not be bought off by giving support to a damaging Tory Brexit deal, which we know would be devastating for jobs, living standards and the economy.

“The UK Government must explain why it has failed to include any mention of additional funding to Scotland, and Barnett consequentials, in this announcement. 

“Scotland must get its fair share and not lose out like we did in the Tories’ last £1bn Brexit bung to the DUP, when Scottish Secretary David Mundell failed to secure a single penny for Scotland. 

“Scotland did not vote for Brexit and we should not pay the price of being dragged out of the EU against our will. 

“Westminster is failing Scotland and it is increasingly clear that the only way to properly protect Scotland’s interests is with independence.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said they would “press the UK Government to ensure that Scotland receives fair share of any additional funding”.

The UK Government’s department of Housing, Communities and Local Government, who administer the fund, said they were seeking to ensure that towns in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can benefit from the fund.

They added: “We will confirm in due course the additional funding we will provide to those governments to reflect this new funding for England.”

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Launching the package, May said it was about fairness: “For too long in our country prosperity has been unfairly spread.

“Communities across the country voted for Brexit as an expression of their desire to see change – that must be a change for the better, with more opportunity and greater control.

“These towns have a glorious heritage, huge potential and, with the right help, a bright future ahead of them.”

Labour’s John McDonnell branded the initiative a “desperate bribe”.

He said: “This Towns Fund smacks of desperation from a Government reduced to bribing MPs to vote for their damaging flagship Brexit legislation.”

Tory minister James Brokenshire insisted that the fund was not linked to getting the deal.

“This funding is there regardless of the outcome, but obviously we want to see a deal happening, we believe that is what is in the best interests of our country.

“But there is no constitutionality in that sense.”

Labour MP for Stoke Central Gareth Snell – one of those MPs Downing Street hoped could be wooed by the fund – said the money would not replace the cash lost under Tory cuts.