Swinney attacked over axed rail link

scottish minister branded ‘judge, jury and executioner’ of glasgow project

By Scott Macnab

Published:

Finance Secretary John Swinney was labelled “judge, jury and executioner” as he defended his decision to cancel a city airport railway project.

Mr Swinney told Holyrood’s finance committee that he will not reinstate the Glasgow Airport Rail Link (Garl) and compared its spiralling cost with the parliament building’s overruns.

The decision to scrap the project was taken to balance the budget for the coming year, Mr Swinney said, and he challenged opposition MSPs to give him alternative projects to scrap instead.

It is still open to parliament to reject the proposed budget, Mr Swinney said.

He asked Glasgow Cathcart MSP Charlie Gordon: “What project would you have sacrificed?”

A school or prison may be among those Mr Gordon would rather ditch, Mr Swinney said.

“Mr Gordon has the opportunity, if he wishes, to suggest capital projects that should be not proceeded with if the Garl goes ahead.”

Mr Gordon, a former leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “I think you’re being disingenuous Cabinet secretary. I’m talking about a dialogue between interested parties and you as judge, jury and executioner.”

Garl was expected to create jobs for 1,300 people, but the SNP said scrapping the project will save the Scottish Government £175.7million.

Initial estimates for the railway’s groundwork at Glasgow Airport were £7.8million, Mr Swinney said, but these were “not comprehensive and not robust” and rose to £70million.

“It’s a bit like this building, frankly,” he went on.

“The cost estimate of this building was apparently £40million before someone had decided on the site or the design.”

The prospect of talks with “stakeholders or interested parties” put forward by Mr Gordon was also dismissed by the finance secretary.

“I’ve made my recommendation to parliament and in my view the position is absolutely clear,” Mr Swinney said.

“The government’s preference is not to take forward the Glasgow Airport Rail Link and I certainly am not considering the possibility of reinstating that project.”

He told the committee that the project was “desirable but not essential”, which resulted in it being ditched.

The Scottish Government wants Westminster to bring forward cash from future budgets for 2010/11 as accelerated spending.

But Mr Swinney said any fresh money coming into Holyrood’s coffers from this route will go on affordable housing.

The decision prompted an angry reaction from some business and political figures – Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell claimed the SNP Government had an anti-Glasgow agenda.