Brexit bribe? UK PM May unveils $2.1 billion fund for Brexit-backing towns

[webfact]

Brexit bribe? UK PM May unveils $2.1 billion fund for Brexit-backing towns

 

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May is seen outside of Downing Street in London, Britain, February 27, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

 

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May will on Monday set out plans for a 1.6 billion pound ($2.11 billion) fund to help to boost economic growth in Brexit-supporting communities with ministers denying it was a bribe to win support for her EU exit deal.

 

The "Stronger Towns Fund", details of which appeared in newspapers last month, is seen by many as part of May's efforts to win support for her Brexit deal from opposition Labour lawmakers who represent areas, particularly in northern England that voted strongly in favour of leaving the European Union.

 

Britain is due to leave the bloc at the end of the month and May, whose exit deal with Brussels was rejected by a large majority of lawmakers in January, has promised parliament will get to vote on a revised deal by March 12.

 

The government said the fund would be targeted at places that had not shared fairly in the country's prosperity and would be used to create new jobs, help to train people and boost economic activity.

 

"Communities across the country voted for Brexit as an expression of their desire to see change; that must be a change for the better, with more opportunity and greater control," May said in a statement.

 

"These towns have a glorious heritage, huge potential and, with the right help, a bright future ahead of them."

 

The opposition Labour Party's finance spokesman, John McDonnell, said the fund was "Brexit bribery".

 

"This towns fund smacks of desperation from a government reduced to bribing Members of Parliament to vote for their damaging flagship Brexit legislation," he said in a statement.

 

However, Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said the money was not linked to support for the withdrawal agreement.

 

"This is funding is there regardless of the outcome," he told BBC radio when asked if the money was a bribe. Obviously we want to see a deal happening. But no, there is no conditionality in that sense."

 

One billion pounds has already been allocated, with more than half going to towns across the north of England. A further 600 million pounds will be available for communities around the country to bid for, the government said.

 

Critics said that the fund, when divided between a large of areas, would not provide individual towns with that much money, nor make up for what they had lost as a result of government cuts in recent years.

 

Brokenshire did not say how many towns would benefit but said the money could be "transformative".

 

"It can make that difference on creating the jobs, actually putting the skills in place and changing people's lives in a modern positive economy," he said.

 

($1 = 0.7572 pounds)

 

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by David Evans, David Goodman and Guy Faulconbridge)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-04

[tebee]

But that is only about one third of what those areas currently get from the EU social fund.

 

So it's a bribe, but also a fairly ineffective bride.

 

 

I suppose we shouldn't expect anything else from this government  

[Grouse]

About 2% of council spending. 

 

Big deal

[Chomper Higgot]

If Brexit is going to deliver business and trade for the UK, then why the need for government handouts?

[baboon]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

If Brexit is going to deliver business and trade for the UK, then why the need for government handouts?

Even the brexiteers don't seem to be peddling that line anymore. You are more up to speed with developments than I am, but I am under the impression that the Brexit Ultras are now reduced to 'Well it was voted for so must happen, come what may'.

[Loiner]

She should try spreading 39Bn around. She might bet some support then, but would not be able to afford the EU anymore.


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[RuamRudy]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

The "Stronger Towns Fund", details of which appeared in newspapers last month, is seen by many as part of May's efforts to win support for her Brexit deal from opposition Labour lawmakers who represent areas, particularly in northern England that voted strongly in favour of leaving the European Union.

I don't blame her for giving up on Scotland - there is nothing that the Tories could do to win back trust there so any bribes paid out to Scottish towns or cities would be truly wasted in terms of shoring up her position, but surely the Welsh should have seen some of this cash?

 

On the positive side, it makes for great #indyref2 propaganda ????.

[Nigel Garvie]

25 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

I don't blame her for giving up on Scotland - there is nothing that the Tories could do to win back trust there so any bribes paid out to Scottish towns or cities would be truly wasted in terms of shoring up her position, but surely the Welsh should have seen some of this cash?

 

On the positive side, it makes for great #indyref2 propaganda ????.

It is clear that England needs independence from Scotland. It is the only that way will they be able to overcome the utter embarrassment of being linked to a country that cares about its' people, rather than being one run for the benefit of tax avoiding Tory toff scroungers.

[Nigel Garvie]

On the subject of bribes, I hear that Grayling offered £m100 to Bryan Ferry to operate a cross channel service. On hearing that there would be no kick back he decided to resign, but only succeeded in cancelling his Netflix subscription.

 

 

 

[Percy P]

19 hours ago, tebee said:

But that is only about one third of what those areas currently get from the EU social fund.

 

So it's a bribe, but also a fairly ineffective bride.

 

 

I suppose we shouldn't expect anything else from this government  

Surprising where they find the money. Senior Citizen's request a pension increase,Government,we haven't got the money and they found billions of pounds to keep the Banks afloat. The money should go for a pension increase, but! we can't find the money .Leave with No Deal and they would have Billions.

Edited March 5, 2019 by Percy P
Addition

[Baerboxer]

37 minutes ago, Nigel Garvie said:

It is clear that England needs independence from Scotland. It is the only that way will they be able to overcome the utter embarrassment of being linked to a country that cares about its' people, rather than being one run for the benefit of tax avoiding Tory toff scroungers.

 

And how much money does Westmnister (the UK government) give to Scotland to help fund this?

 

Scotland is much funded by UK tax payers, largely outside of Scotland. That's why the majority of Scots voted against trying to leave the UK.

[Percy P]

19 hours ago, tebee said:

But that is only about one third of what those areas currently get from the EU social fund.

 

So it's a bribe, but also a fairly ineffective bride.

 

 

I suppose we shouldn't expect anything else from this government  

Well! what have these areas done with the EU money.

[Baerboxer]

11 minutes ago, Nigel Garvie said:

On the subject of bribes, I hear that Grayling offered £m100 to Bryan Ferry to operate a cross channel service. On hearing that there would be no kick back he decided to resign, but only succeeded in cancelling his Netflix subscription.

 

 

 

 

The ferry contracts and the ludicrous way they were handled is only a fraction of the contracts being lashed out by the Tory government  - big consultancies being big winners again too! 

 

Eurotunnel got GBP 33m awarded as a result of the way contracts were awarded to the ferry companies. Maybe Grayling should be charged with negligence at least?

[Baerboxer]

2 minutes ago, Percy P said:

Well! what have these areas done with the EU money.

 

Probably built new Mosques, funded racial awareness courses, etc etc

[Percy P]

10 minutes ago, Percy P said:

Well! what have these areas done with the EU money.

 

[dick dasterdly]

20 hours ago, tebee said:

But that is only about one third of what those areas currently get from the EU social fund.

 

So it's a bribe, but also a fairly ineffective bride.

 

 

I suppose we shouldn't expect anything else from this government  

Do you have a link to support this?

 

58 minutes ago, Percy P said:

Well! what have these areas done with the EU money.

Good question....

 

I doubt voters will be impressed as I'm pretty sure they know that the money never gets anywhere near their pockets.

[Loiner]

 
Probably built new Mosques, funded racial awareness courses, etc etc

Wasted on useless cycle lanes on the main arterial routes in and out of my town. Reduces the amount of limited road space for traffic and causes streams of traffic jam.
More EU vanity projects.


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[Snow Leopard]

Total Bribe. But used correctly and not just wasted it could be a good thing. If it's used for redevelopment. 

[sawadee1947]

22 hours ago, tebee said:

But that is only about one third of what those areas currently get from the EU social fund.

 

So it's a bribe, but also a fairly ineffective bride.

 

 

I suppose we shouldn't expect anything else from this government  

Same as you expect from Muppet Show 

[7by7]

5 hours ago, RuamRudy said:

I don't blame her for giving up on Scotland - there is nothing that the Tories could do to win back trust there so any bribes paid out to Scottish towns or cities would be truly wasted in terms of shoring up her position, but surely the Welsh should have seen some of this cash?

I cannot say why there is no cash, yet, for Wales (remember, there is still £600 million to be allocated); but as to why there is none for Scotland seems obvious.

 

As far as I can make out from searching the Scottish government website, this type of regional regeneration funding is now the responsibility of Holyrood, not Westminster.

 

Is this another example of Scots wanting independence but still wanting English money?

[dunroaming]

Certainly getting interesting now.  May with her proposed bribe, Hammond coming out and saying that it is her deal or many more years of austerity and some of the leading Brexiteers "softening" their opposition.  They know that "No-Deal" can now be voted off of the table and that leaves a possible second vote which could scupper them completely.  No wonder they are desperate and even prepared to accept May's disastrous deal.

 

As we know the Brit's don't like being dictated to or threatened and in normal circumstances would simply raise a middle finger to May and Hammond.  May's deal is still dire for the UK but will, in the end, Britain capitulate?  When I say "Britain", I mean of course the MP's that suppose to represent the views of the people.  

[RuamRudy]

I cannot say why there is no cash, yet, for Wales (remember, there is still £600 million to be allocated); but as to why there is none for Scotland seems obvious.
 
As far as I can make out from searching the Scottish government website, this type of regional regeneration funding is now the responsibility of Holyrood, not Westminster.
 
Is this another example of Scots wanting independence but still wanting English money?

English money? I presume you mean UK money, unless this bribe comes from a ringfenced English pot? Is there such a thing?

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[sammieuk1]

Maybe she looked up from her fine dinning and flicked the TV onto channel4 skint Britain friends without benefits a hard look at the universal credit rollout in Hartlepool and its sickening effects and decided to throw sum left over crumbs at the north ????

[Prissana Pescud]

And Ms May has a mandate for this cash splurge?

 She could build a new Hadrians wall across Scotland and Irish borders for that much.

[SheungWan]

On 3/4/2019 at 4:02 PM, tebee said:

But that is only about one third of what those areas currently get from the EU social fund.

So it's a bribe, but also a fairly ineffective bride.

I suppose we shouldn't expect anything else from this government  

I hope the government will support me in my search for an affective bride.

[SheungWan]

6 minutes ago, Prissana Pescud said:

And Ms May has a mandate for this cash splurge?

 She could build a new Hadrians wall across Scotland and Irish borders for that much.

Better still, around the M25.

[SheungWan]

10 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

Maybe she looked up from her fine dinning and flicked the TV onto channel4 skint Britain friends without benefits a hard look at the universal credit rollout in Hartlepool and its sickening effects and decided to throw sum left over crumbs at the north ????

Hartlepool. Brexit Central.

[SheungWan]

18 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

English money? I presume you mean UK money, unless this bribe comes from a ringfenced English pot? Is there such a thing?

English pot: Homegrown Skunk.

[sammieuk1]

7 minutes ago, SheungWan said:

Hartlepool. Brexit Central.

So were a whole load of other miss informed lied to towns????

[Loiner]

So were a whole load of other miss informed lied to towns[emoji848]

Yes, they lied in 1975 and it’s still going on: “Take our bribe and you will be better off in the EU this time. Honest.”


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