Brown attacked for ‘bully boy’ tactics over cash formula

Nov 27 2007 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

Gordon Brown

GORDON BROWN was condemned on all sides yesterday for “bully boy tactics” to silence criticism of the infamous Barnett Formula that penalises Merseyside.

Both Conservatives and Lib-Dems attacked the Prime Minister, after the Daily Post revealed the strong-arming of MPs and peers attempting to review the funding rules.

In the last financial year, Scotland received £8,623-per-head from the Treasury, while the North-West figure was just £7,798 – more than £800 lower.

Yet income-per-head north of the border was 96% of the national average in 2005, while the average North West resident received just 88%.

We revealed that No.10 aides have been accused of arm-twisting both Labour MPs and peers pushing for a rethink – warning of “consequences” if a full-scale review is undertaken.

Alan Duncan, the Tory business spokesman, said: “Instead of the new-style, open government promised earlier this year, it seems that Brown’s Bully Boy tactics are still going strong.

“An orchestrated campaign of coercion is not the way to win an argument. How can we get trust back into politics when Gordon Brown treats people in this way?”

And Julia Goldsworthy, Liberal Democrat Treasury spokeswoman, said: “Number 10 should not be trying to stifle debate on this important issue.

“We fully support a review of the Barnett Formula. If ministers are so confident that it remains appropriate, why not have a review which could confirm this?”

No.10, which is sensitive to criticism that Mr Brown and Chancellor Alistair Darling run a Scots-dominated government, has refused to comment on our story.

Introduced in 1978, the Barnett Formula gave England 85% of public spending, Scotland 10% and Wales 5%, on a per-capita basis.