Professor John Robertson OBA
From the Guardian today:
If the government was serious about reducing the growing welfare bill, it would be starting here and in the other parts of the country blighted by deindustrialisation and poverty. It would identify the parts of the country most in need – Wales, Scotland and large swaths of northern England – and love-bomb them.
Yet instead of devoting more money to regional economic development, ministers are doing the opposite. In one of its less-publicised policy moves, Labour has quietly gutted the fund designed to create jobs, a scheme inherited from the Conservatives.
The shared prosperity fund has now been replaced by local growth funds, but these have a much reduced financial firepower. Compared with the scheme for 2024-25, funding for England and Scotland from 2026 is down 76%, while for Wales there is a cut of 50%.
These cuts were sneakily inserted in the 2024 budget.
Which parts of Scotland will be harmed by this?
See: https://datamap-scotland.co.uk/2020/03/areas-deprivation-scotland-councils/
In February 2025, the Daily Record had a piece on the changes and North Lanarkshire Council’s reduced funding, but managed to present it in a way that protected Labour and passed some blame to the SNP, despite the latter having no role.
Councillor Michael McPake (Labour, Gartcosh, Glenboig and Moodiesburn) said that the Glasgow City Region, a group of eight councils including North Lanarkshire which receives UKSPF funding, was a collaboration between the UK and Scottish governments.
“We can’t just point the finger all the time at one place, and by the way I have been a member of this committee for several years and it’s only since the change of government that there have been such questions,” he said.
We can’t just point the finger all the time at one place? What was that about ‘All roads’, Anas?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
A Spokesperson for Anas stated that he doesn’t answer any questions about ”private companies over which he has no control ”…or the Labour Government when he has not been told what to say except when he can blame the SNP …oh , have you seen that Ferry has been delayed , again !
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