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UK Budget fails “3 Key Tests for Scotland”, say Alba Party

Scottish Government must now fund universal entitlement to pensioners winter fuel payment.

“To gain pass marks the new UK Labour Government had three key tests to meet in Scotland: it had to reverse its plan to cut the universal winter fuel payment; it had to save Grangemouth; and it had to fund a plan to save North Sea Oil and Gas jobs - on all three counts Labour has failed Scotland.” 

This was said today by Acting Alba Party leader Kenny MacAskill reacting to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget. 

Alba Party say that the UK Government had three key tests to meet to deliver for Scotland. Former First Minister Alex Salmond helped launch a campaign to save the winter fuel payment last month. Close to one million pensioners in Scotland are set to lose out on between £200-£300 this winter. Acting Alba Party leader Kenny MacAskill has been a leading voice in the campaign to save the Grangemouth Oil Refinery from closure. Mr MacAskill has today hit out at the UK Government after Labour promised in the General Election to save Scotland’s only refinery that is set for closure next year but has failed to provide funding to save the refinery in today’s budget. 

MacAskill has now called on the Scottish Government to use extra Barnett consequential funding to fully mitigate the cut to the winter fuel payment.   

Alba Party have also hit out as successive UK Government’s have promised investment in Carbon Capture Technology in the North East of Scotland. Alba say the technology is vital to secure the future of the North Sea Oil and Gas industry and to help Scotland play its part in protecting the environment. Today’s UK Budget confirmed £22billion of investment in carbon capture projects in England - but snubbed the Acorn project on the Buchan coast.

Commenting Acting Alba Party leader Kenny MacAskill said:

“Today’s UK Budget is a continuity budget that proves that regardless of whether we have a UK Tory Government or a UK Labour Government, Scotland will always lose. 

“To gain pass marks the new UK Labour Government had three key tests to meet in Scotland: it had to reverse its plan to cut the universal winter fuel payment; it had to save Grangemouth; and it had to fund a plan to save North Sea Oil and Gas jobs - on all three counts Labour has failed Scotland.

“ Close to a million Scottish pensioners are to be kept in the cold this winter, the UK Government has chosen to stand by and allow Scotland’s key industrial asset to close, and Labour have betrayed the North East of Scotland. 

“ Nothing for Scotland’s pensioners, nothing for Grangemouth and nothing for Carbon Capture and the North Sea. It is now vital that the Scottish Government steps up to the plate and uses any additional funding consequentials it receives to fully mitigate the cut to the winter fuel payment."

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