Swinney backs fire-hit firms, parents and homebuyers – Daily Business

John Swinney acknowledging the faithful (pic: Terry Murden / DB Media Services)

First Minister John Swinney has promised £11 million to help small businesses and Glasgow City Council recover from the Union Street fire.

As dismantling of what remains of the 19th century building continued, Mr Swinney told the SNP conference the government would cover the £1m cost of demolition.

It would also provide £10m to help those affected and ensure the council did not have to divert frunds from public services.

The blaze destroyed a number businesses and affected others in the immediate areas. Rail services at nearby Glasgow Central station are suspended until at least Wednesday.

“This SNP Government will underwrite the cost of clearing the site, meaning that not a single penny of the city’s public services budget will be lost in that task,” he said

“And we will do more – some businesses have been utterly devastated, others in the area are suffering real hardship.

Devastation: the Union Building fire

“Today, I can announce a £10m recovery fund to support the council, businesses and agencies to help rebuild and renew that vital part of the city.

“Let me be clear today, we will stand by our biggest city in its hour of need – the SNP will do everything in our power to make Glasgow flourish again.”

Mr Swinney also committed more than £500m to boosting childcare provision if the SNP is re-elected in May.

He said the party would “extend childcare for every child in the country from nine months old to the end of primary school”.

John Swinney pledged help for parents and first-time homebuyers (pic: Terry Murden / DB Media Services)

Care would be worth more than £6,000 per year, said Mr Swinney, who explained that he had “heard the calls from parents across the country” who are “struggling to juggle work and childcare”.

The improved childcare offering would be “backed by over half-a-billion pounds of new investment.

“We will deliver a brand-new childcare system that fits around families rather than expecting families to fit around the system,” he said. “And because parents’ work doesn’t stop during the summer holidays, neither will the provision of childcare.”

His other promises included 30 GP walk-in clinics across the country and “up to £10,000 towards a deposit to give people the help they need to buy their first home.”

He said little about how any of this would be funded, given that economic growth is weak and various think tanks and research groups have warned that public spending will have to be cut by the new government.

His only comments on the economy were to claim that “Westminster is broken. It doesn’t generate enough economic growth. It doesn’t generate enough money for our public services”, which seemed to contradict his earlier promises.

Mr Swinney claimed that independence was within Scotland’s grasp and it would enable Scotland to benefit from its own vast energy wealth, “bringing down bills, delivering a just transition”.

He added: “With independence, we will have a seat at the top table of Europe once more. Choosing not the isolation and economic damage of Brexit, but instead giving our businesses the opportunity of trading freely inside the world’s largest single market.”

Commenting later, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “John Swinney’s speech was a stark reminder of what is at stake at the election in May.

“He has made it clear that every vote for the SNP will be presented as a mandate for another divisive independence referendum.”

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