Cabinet in Scotland for first time in 88 years

Published on Wednesday 15 April 2009 22:01

THE UK Cabinet will today meet in Scotland for the first time in 88 years as Gordon Brown, the Prime Minister, tries to reach out to Scottish voters.

The Cabinet meeting in Glasgow will follow a series of visits by senior ministers around Scotland, which started yesterday with the Work and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell, meeting Harris tweed producers in the Western Isles.

One of the highlights will be an announcement at Knockhill Racecourse by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson of a special 2,000 to 5,000 subsidy for people who buy electric cars.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith will view improvements made to the front of Glasgow Airport following the terrorist attack.

The Cabinet meeting will feature a presentation on the Scottish economy by Jim Murphy who will tell colleagues how it strengthened and diversified since 1997, but the collapse of banks last year proved that Scotland could not be viable as an independent country.

The only other time the UK Cabinet met in Scotland was David Lloyd George's government in 1921 in Inverness.