LABOUR have threatened to claw back millions from Scottish communities promised “levelling up” money.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray has warned the UK Government could cancel funding promises made by the last Government to communities across Scotland.
He called the pledges “headline-grabbing gimmicks without any money attached” and said all were under review.
Aberdeenshire Council, which had been promised £20 million for Peterhead, told the Press and Journal that it considered the project “under threat”.
Elsewhere, Stirling Council told The Herald that they had “no indication of any review into our funding”.
Local MPs in affected areas have expressed their fury. The Courier reported that a total of £40m the Tories had pledged for Dundee and Arbroath could be for the chop.
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Stephen Gethins (below), the SNP MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, said: “I have been so impressed by the way in which the town has come together and the board has hit the ground running with exciting and innovative ideas in how we can make this funding work.
“I have also highlighted this work to UK Government ministers reminding them both of Arbroath’s potential and the hard work that has been done.
“These reports are highly concerning and any reversal of these commitments by the Labour government would be a mistake and a backward step.”
Dundee Central MP Chris Law said: “This is simply not good enough.
“The Labour government must follow through on the promises made to the people of Dundee and deliver this funding, now.”
And £5m for Perth is also under review.
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Murray said: “Everything is under review because a lot of the stuff that was promised didn’t have any cash attached to it.
“These were just headline-grabbing gimmicks without any money attached.
“We’re trying to be honest with the public and say look, some of these projects are under review, and some may or may not happen depending on where the Chancellor goes on October 30.
“I think that’s the honest thing to say to the public, because that £22 billion black hole is real. It’s not some arbitrary figure that’s been put out there.”
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