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Salmond seeks funding guarantees Salmond in talks with UK parties
(about 15 hours later)
First Minister Alex Salmond is in London for a series of talks with the UK politicians who hope to be chancellor after the general election. The Tories said they had "constructive" talks with First Minister Alex Salmond on their plans for government if they win the general election.
Mr Salmond is to press for a £350m cash injection to help Scotland cope with the impact of the recession. Shadow chancellor George Osborne and shadow Treasury secretary Philip Hammond met the SNP leader.
And he wants further acceleration of capital spending in 2010-11, to assist the recovery of the economy. Mr Salmond also had talks with Lib Dem Treasury spokesman Vince Cable, and will meet the chancellor on Wednesday.
The SNP leader will also seek assurances that next year's £30bn Scottish budget will not be cut. He said Scotland needed "absolute clarity" from the UK parties on its budget in the forthcoming year.
Mr Salmond will hold discussions with Tory shadow chancellor George Osborne and Liberal Democrat Vince Cable at Westminster. The Conservatives have already indicated they will "respect" the £30bn Scottish Budget for 2010-11, agreed by MSPs last month, but said savings would be needed in the following year, if they win power.
He is due to meet Chancellor Alistair Darling on Wednesday. 'Mutual respect'
A spokesman for the first minister claimed the UK Budget, announced by Mr Darling last week, amounted to the first real-terms cut for Scotland since devolution and could cost 4,000 jobs. Tory MP David Mundell, the shadow Scottish Secretary, said: "George Osborne, Philip Hammond and I held a constructive meeting with Alex Salmond today in Westminster to discuss the Conservatives' mutual respect agenda for Scotland in more detail, following our recent announcement regarding the Scottish Budget should we form the next UK government."
Positive indications The party has also offered Holyrood access to cash left over from the Scottish Budget at the end of the financial year.
He said Scotland needed "absolute clarity" from the UK parties on the Scottish Parliament's existing budget in the forthcoming year. Mr Mundell added: "While we might not always concur on every issue, the Conservatives believe that a relationship built on a foundation of mutual respect would be in the best interest of the people we have been elected to serve."
"There may have been positive indications from Labour and the Lib Dems but we need certainty on the point," he said. Ahead of the meeting, a spokesman for the first minister claimed the UK Budget, announced by Mr Darling last week, amounted to the first real-terms cut for Scotland since devolution and could cost 4,000 jobs.
"And the Tories appear to be talking about imposing a double cut on Scotland the following year and must explain their position." The spokesman said the Scottish government was also pressing for a £350m programme of capital acceleration, to enable vital infrastructure investment.
Mr Osborne said last week that Scotland would be spared from making immediate cuts should the Conservatives win the election, but that savings would have to be made in the 2011-12 Holyrood budget.
The spokesman for the first minister said the Scottish government was also pressing for a £350m programme of capital acceleration, to enable vital infrastructure investment.