Brian Whittle MSP has vowed to continue his campaign to deliver the Ayrshire Growth Deal following the UK Government’s Budget. Although the Deal didn’t receive a mention in the Chancellor’s statement, MSP Brian believes that progress is still being made.
The South Scotland MSP has made the Ayrshire Growth Deal, along with pushing for Scottish Government investment in the A77, a top priority since his election in 2016. He’s held a number of meetings with senior figures in the UK Government, including the Business Secretary Greg Clark MP, the Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, and other Ministers in the Scotland Office. Brian also hosted a meeting between the Ayrshire Growth Deal team and Scottish Conservative Party Leader, Ruth Davidson MSP, who pledged to highlight the deal in her conversations with the Chancellor and other UK Cabinet Ministers.
Speaking after the Budget, Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Getting a mention of the Ayrshire Growth Deal in the Budget would have been nice, but my focus remains on getting the Deal delivered. I’ve had a number of conversations with representatives of the UK Government and they are all positive about the possibilities that this Deal presents for Ayrshire and the whole of the South West of Scotland. Securing the funding for the deal and putting the structures in place to manage them is an extremely complex and time consuming process, which sometimes means that progress is made more slowly than any of us would want, but
I remain confident that it’s possible to deliver a good deal for Ayrshire. I’m continuing to work constructively with the UK and Scottish Governments to make this great ambition a reality. I’ve already spoken to the UK Government since the Budget and I believe we’re close to being able to take another step forward.”