Scottish affairs chair claims city is financial 'black hole'

The chairman of the Commons Scottish affairs select committee was today urged to consider his position after he labelled Edinburgh a "black hole" down which money disappeared.

Labour's Ian Davidson launched his attack on the Capital during a debate at Westminster on the Scotland Bill, which will hand more powers to Holyrood.

Mr Davidson said: "It is important to put on the record that even under devolution, Glasgow clearly gets far less than its fair share from a Scottish Government based in Edinburgh.

"I have just been to the Shetlands with the Scottish affairs committee, and people there feel that they are equally badly treated by Edinburgh.

"We also need a needs-based assessment within Scotland to stop money disappearing and being sucked down into the black hole that is Edinburgh."

In fact, official figures show the Capital currently receives less cash per head of population from central government than any other council in Scotland.

Angus Robertson, the SNP's leader at Westminster, said: "Most people in the Commons were totally taken aback by this extraordinary outburst. I find it hard to see how Ian Davidson can chair the Scottish affairs select committee given that he is so clearly anti-Edinburgh.

"It is important all parts of the country receive appropriate funding, but it is inexcusable for Labour to talk down the nation's capital.

"Edinburgh deserves a full apology and retraction and Ian Davidson should consider his position as chair of the Scottish affairs select committee."

Edinburgh loses out under the current formula because the calculations give weight to poverty and deprivation, which favours Glasgow.

And the Scottish Government has promised to stop Edinburgh falling any further behind by introducing a new funding "floor" which will ensure no local authority receives less than 85 per cent of the average funding for Scottish councils.

Edinburgh currently receives 82 per cent of the average - or 1661 per head, compared with 2369 per head in Glasgow and the all-Scotland figure of 2008.

Mr Davidson also sparked fury later in the debate by describing the SNP as "neo-fascists".

After being heckled by SNP, he said: "I notice the way in which efforts have been made to shout me down.

"That's what's happened traditionally in Scotland when people challenge the nationalists.

"Those of us who want to challenge the narrow, neo-fascism of the nationalists..."

The SNP's Stewart Hosie immediately raised a point of order with Commons Speaker John Bercow, complaining: "That description is absurd and offensive and wrong in every single regard."

He asked what powers Mr Bercow had to "ensure this nonsense is not said or repeated".

Mr Bercow said: "My powers do not extend to the covering or reputation of nonsense."

Mr Davidson said: "Is it not neo-fascist to attempt to shout down speakers that you disagree with?"

The Scotland Bill cleared its Commons stages last night and will now go to the House of Lords.

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