UK Government set to break manifesto promise on post-Brexit funding
The UK Government is set to break its promises to match the funding nations and regions of the UK received before Brexit, Whitehall sources have warned.
Further details of the Shared Prosperity Fund that will replace EU structural funding are due to be announced Wednesday, but those with prior knowledge of their contents told the Financial Times that they would fall short of pre-Brexit promises that nations and regions would not be worse off.
Boris Johnson’s 2019 election manifesto had promised that post-Brexit replacement funding would “at a minimum match the size” of EU funds in “each nation” of the UK.
The Welsh Government have already said that they are due to lose £1bn by 2024-25 which would “make a mockery” of the UK Government’s claims to be ‘levelling up’ the UK.
The Financial Times said that the documents showed that England was also set to receive almost 50 per cent less than originally pledged, getting £1.56bn by 2024-25 instead of £3bn.
Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership regional lobby group, told the newspaper: “This will be a difficult decision to defend to Red Wall MPs, who will be left wondering why levelling up isn’t a bigger priority for the chancellor.”
‘Not acceptable’
Speaking in February, a former leader of the Welsh Conservatives said that it is important that Wales doesn’t lose out as a result of the end of EU funding.
Speaking in the Senedd, Paul Davies said that “I totally agree with you that it is important that Wales does not lose out as a result of the switch from European structural funds to the shared prosperity fund”.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething congratulated Paul Davies on his statement.
“I should congratulate the Member,” he said. “That is the first time that a Conservative Member in this place has said that it should not be acceptable that Wales loses money from the change from European structural funds. That’s a very welcome statement.”
Paul Davies had added that the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee, of which he is chair, would “be taking a keen interest in this specific area in due course”.
He was responding to an original statement by Vaughan Gething in which he said that Wales was due to lose £1bn as a result of the changes.
“And I don’t see how any reasonable person could defend that, regardless of their politics,” Vaughan Gething said. “I don’t think anyone came into this place to try to justify £1 billion being shed from Wales.
“And, of course, we’re also seeing regions of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland being treated in the same way, because the UK Government has deliberately chosen to underfund those former EU programmes despite clear pledges and promises that no-one would lose a single penny.”
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I will not be expecting the Tory’s here to make a statement condemning the UK Gov regarding funding, but I will not be surprised if they start to rant and rave and blame our Gov if we have traffic jams and overcrowding on trains at Easter. Did anyone really expect a serial liar, Johnson, to keep his word regarding funding? Brexit was one big lie.
They will likely blame the Covid pandemic. War in Ukraine. Boris Johnson’s flat renovation cost blah blah blah…… everything under the sun but the unmitigated success that is Brexit! 🤪🇬🇧
It’s no wonder your post is so confused, Wales voted for Brexit.
If you have another look at his post, you’ll be able to see that one reason for the pro-Brexit vote in Cymru was Johnson’s promise that EU structural funding would be matched post-Brexit.
For the love of God, get us out of this Tory UK. Absolutely unbearable.
Yes, I did. And that’s some leap you’ve made in reaching your conclusion. Cards on the table, are you a Tory cheerleader?
Well, what I took from the article is that not only are Wales down on funding but regions of England are too. It’s already been noted that the areas benefiting most from Westminster’s so-called levelling up are blue seats. What I take from your poor attempt to troll is that you are indeed a Tory cheerleader. You will note the phrase “The Government argued” that you quoted. But thank you for your insults. I do appreciate when Tory fanboys resort to base goading. Shows what utter flim flam they and their arguments are. As I said, “For the love of… Read more »
Odd that only 21% of anyone who is asked agrees with you, eh?
Oh bless, the poor English tax payers funding us, they dont get a thing do they, except for all the funding in south England where most of the UK ‘s cash is spent
vanity projects like HS2, and the nuclear weapons to massage their egos while dreaming of empire. Poor little Englanders.
Ah right. Silly France, building the TGV. Silly Japan building bullet trains.
And tell you what, let’s do away with nucelar weapons like Ukraine did.
Because some guy on the comments section of a website that race baits people with pictures of Priti Patel knows better.
Oh, It’s that old chestnut. It’s only our taxes coming back even though 27 other EU countries pay into the pot to contribute to the nations & regions of Europe suffering deprivation. Read on. Be enlightened. Remember this important fact. If Wales received the same investment England has throughout the years, baring in mind Wales put hundreds of billions into Whitehall coffers throughout the years with revenue from its coal & water resource, wouldn’t need any begging bowl aid from the EU , or Whitehall come to that, as our economy would have enough money to create 1st world road… Read more »
Welsh coal mines were owned by Welsh mine owners. When they ceased to be profitable in addition to the Welsh mine owners regularly allowing colliers to die in them, they were nationalised.
During that period they were subisidised.
Same thing happened across the UK, Europe and USA. I hate to break it to you, but you are no different to anyone else.
Water gets paid for. Look it up. Severn Trent and Unitied Utilities pay NRW for it.
It isn’t worth billions. The whole of the UK’s water charges aren’t
Try living without water. Then put a value on it
Oh yes.
The Russians are depriving Ukrainian cities of water.
How is that working out for them?
Put it on the Indy referendum.
“Would you like to belong to a country that wants to cut off water supplies to things like hospitals?”
Credit to you. You really do have a plan there
That is utter tripe, not even resembling any kind of coherent thought.
Aren’t you the one who said that English children should be placed in cages and shot by Welsh farmers?
Mate, you’re on a losing wicket here. There can be no justification for Cymru to lose any funding. No a single pound. We all know Cymru has been constantly neglected and mistreated for centuries. Enough is Enough.
“The Financial Times said that the documents showed that England was also set to receive almost 50 per cent less than originally pledged, getting £1.56bn by 2024-25 instead of £3bn.”
Countries all over the world have reduced budgets.
COVID. Global materials shortages. The war in Ukraine
Roobeth – rhywbeth. Geddit? Mae’n “Hedda” gydag enw newydd spon.
What I surprise, I am so shocked, I really believed the Tory promises that “Wales would not lose a penny” as a result of Brexit!
I am, of course, being sarcastic!
Well this does surprise me!!!! I don’t think.
The Welsh have never voted for a Tory government and never will. Independence is the only way we’ll rid our country of these despicable people 🏴
Never trust a Tory. There’s a moral in that tale to ones who were stupid enough to believe the treacherous Conservatives, UKIP and Brexit party lies & deceit that Wales would benefit by leaving the European Union. Who can recall the promise made by arch Anglophile MP for Monmouth David TC Davies who said to the BBC in 2016 smugly stating how Wales would not lose one penny of its funding if we voted to leave the EU. In fact. We’d get more money. A total fraudster. I hope he’s reminded of this lie forever. Recently he along with fellow… Read more »
Here’s the David TC Davies BBC interview link from 2016 in question: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36625798.amp
I have been expecting this sort of announcement for months if not years. Cymru was never ever going to get the equivalent amount of EU funding from the UK Gov. It was never going to happen. Just think about how much we’ll be losing over the years to join the normal underfunding and losses such as from HS2. We are continually being shat one (nothing unusual there) and the only way we are ever going to stop the rot is through independence.
Describing people, even Tories, as a cancer that need purging is perilously close to hate speech
Nid yw’n gyfiawn, ym fy marn i o leiaf.
Sorry, that message was intended for y cymro.
I think the sort of thoughts and argument usually on display on these ‘ pages ‘ speaks well for the range of progressive views Wales is known for and for tolerance ( very hard at times )
We do not need to step into the dark marsh of misinformation and deception aimed at those of us seeking to support our nation on its journey towards an inclusive and tolerant future.
The Tories have no empathy for the poor. Therefore my description is just. Also, ask those who suffered the ultimate fate in ACUs, my own family member, when they partied during the Covid pandemic. Oh, sorry. You can’t. And why? Because she & they are dead. Hate speech lol. Ever read the Treachery of the Blue Books or Enoch Powell’s Rivers of Blood durge. Now that’s hate speech!
Correction to my post. Meant ICUs not ACUs.
Sunak and his tax dodging wife were living in Downing Street at our expense while both held US green cards. In applying for green cards one has to swear that the USA is your main residence and, if called up, that you will fight for the USA. To me that is treason but even if not they both swore to pay US taxes on all income anywhere in the world including what he earned as an MP and minister of the crown. I wonder if the IRS knows about this pair of weasels? We were never ever going to get… Read more »
Johnson could lie for Russia.
He did, it’s called brexit😀
I’m only shocked that they actually promised it in the first place, even though they inglished (reneged) out of their promise I still think that is progress that they promised it in the first place.
How many times can the tories say they thought about not leaving Wales worse off, let alone make a promise not to do it (ignoring the fact they wormed their way out of their words)
Tories break a promise? Well well, who’d have thought it?
Tories are masters of the arts of the expedient “promise”. Make one now to overcome an objection, then ditch it later and claim that circumstances have changed. Same old, same old.
Of course Boris was lying about the payments and when people tried to warn those who voted for Brexit that was what he was doing, they were accused of scaremongering….. remember?