UK Budget: John Healey urged to 'restore' naval vessels patrolling Scottish waters
The Chancellor will also “start the long-term action needed to get energy costs down for good” in his statement to MPs.
John Healey has been urged to "take steps to restore" naval vessels patrolling Scottish waters in his Budget today.
The Chancellor, who quit as Sir Keir Starmer's defence secretary over a lack of funding for the sector, is expected to signal a boost to spending for military and defensive capabilities in his first tax and spending statement.
A senior Scottish government source told The Scotsman that Holyrood was bracing for big cuts to its capital budget to pave the way for defence spending.
First Minister John Swinney has previously criticised the UK government for what he has argued is a failure to protect Scotland's waters - with his government now calling for a restoration of naval vessels in the Far North.
Delivering a keynote address earlier this year, Mr Swinney hit out at the UK government for choosing to "scrap its entire maritime patrol fleet and its replacement".
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He added: "The United Kingdom has chosen not to base a single offshore patrol vessel, frigate or destroyer in Scotland – requiring vessels to be dispatched from the south coast of England when the flagship of the Russian Northern Fleet arrives off Scotland."
In his speech to SNP conference this month, Mr Swinney starkly claimed that "Scotland’s vast coastline is left dangerously exposed".
Asked by The Scotsman whether the Scottish government would expect a boost to naval defences in the Budget, a spokesperson for the First Minister said: "The First Minister has been clear that the UK government is now fundamentally failing to keep its citizens safe. The man who is now the Chancellor resigned a few months ago making exactly that point.
"These are decisions that the First Minister would not take in an independent Scotland. They should take steps to restore that."
Mr Swinney also called on the Chancellor to deliver “substantial support” to help people with their energy bills - otherwise his Budget will be “just like all the failed budgets” of his predecessor, Rachel Reeves.
The First Minister challenged Mr Healey to follow through on Labour’s 2024 election manifesto commitment to reduce energy bills by £300.
Stressing the need to “assist householders in relation to the cost of living”, he said the issue had been “the most significant issue that was on everybody’s lips” in this year’s Holyrood election campaign.
The First Minister continued: “The Chancellor, at the very least, has got to fulfil Labour’s election commitment to deliver energy bills that are £300 lower than when Labour came to office.
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“Now, at this moment, those energy bills are higher than when Labour came to office, and they’re projected to go even higher in January.
“So, if the Chancellor does not deliver substantial support to the cost of living around energy bills for people in Scotland, then the Chancellor’s budget is just like all the failed budgets of Rachel Reeves. It will not address the real issues that people are facing in our society.”
Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Jenny Gilruth called on the Chancellor to prioritise measures to tackle the cost-of-living crisis as the Scottish government braces for spending cuts from Westminster without a rethink from Andy Burnham’s government.
Ms Gilruth said: “The Chancellor has a real opportunity to change the direction of the UK government and finally end austerity budgets by taking real action on the cost of living crisis.
“He can choose to invest in public services and to help hard pressed families by taking action to stop soaring fuel costs and energy bills - which are hundreds of pounds higher than when this UK government came to power, despite Scotland being one of the most energy rich nations in the world.
“Scotland’s budget faces a real-terms cut in 2027/28 under the UK government’s current plans. The Chancellor can choose a new path – investment in public services to further support our NHS, help keep improving our schools, and to lift more children out of poverty.”
Mr Healey will set out how to make Britain “more resilient” and will “give households breathing space from some of the everyday costs” in his Budget.
The Chancellor will also “start the long-term action needed to get energy costs down for good” in his statement to MPs.
He will lay out his tax and spending measures to MPs in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon.
In a video message, Mr Healey said: “Breathing space for today and fresh hope for the future. That's what today's Budget will deliver.
“The world’s a highly uncertain place. Conflicts abroad are pushing up energy prices, and the cost of living here at home - piling pressure on the families, on businesses, and on our public finances.
“But Britain's economy is showing real signs of resilience: investments up, productivity is growing, and we had the joint fastest growth in the G7 in the first half of this year.
“We can't stop these shocks that hit Britain, but we can make Britain more resilient when they do.
“So, this Budget is designed to give households breathing space from some of the everyday costs, provide targeted support for businesses and self-employed people, and to start the long-term action needed to get energy costs down for good.
“But breathing space today must go hand-in-hand with building for the future.
“So, we'll back British businesses and entrepreneurs, we'll invest in the technologies that drive future growth, and we'll build more homes, shift power out of Whitehall, so that leaders locally can drive growth in every postcode.
“And in an uncertain world, we will strengthen national security and our defences, as well as our support for Ukraine.
“We'll do all of this responsibly, sticking within tight fiscal rules, and make sure every pound is well invested.
“Because this Budget is about getting through this difficult moment. But it's also about putting Britain on a future path, a better future path.
“Breathing space today, and fresh hope for the future.”
The UK Government has already announced a series of “everyday fixes” to help with the cost-of-living crisis.
This includes a pledge to remove tariffs from 100 different foods items, which ministers claim could save households up to £21 a year. Garlic, gherkins and marmalade are some of the products which will have tariffs removed.
The government is also expected to freeze fuel duty again and slow the pace of pay increases for younger minimum wage workers.
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