The SNP has called on Labour and the Conservatives to make clear they are not planning further cuts to Scotland's budget as David Anderson, the newly appointed shadow Scottish secretary, prepares to make his first appearance in the role at the Commons dispatch box.
Mr Anderson, MP for Blaydon near Gateshead, had signed a motion "attacking Scotland's budget" when he called for an immediate review of the Barnett formula, suggesting it should be replaced with a "fairer" method of distributing public expenditure between England and Scotland.
The SNP said this echoed the comments from Justice Secretary Michael Gove, one of the Tory leadership candidates, who spoke last week of the need to look at a "fairly-funded" Union.
Commenting, Kenneth Gibson said:
"Both the Tories and Labour are raising the prospect of the Barnett formula being scrapped, despite Scotland's fiscal having been agreed by the UK Government as recently as February and committing their parties to Barnett in their manifestos.
"The SNP will continue to resist cuts to our budget at the behest of UK politicians pursuing their own narrow agendas at Scotland's expense."
