Shadow chancellor George Osbourne offers to meet with Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond

Published on Friday 19 March 2010 10:20

SHADOW chancellor George Osborne today offered to meet the First Minister to discuss future spending in Scotland.

• George Osborne

The Tory said he would be "very happy" to talk to Alex Salmond about next year's Scottish budget.

But he did not say if a future Conservative Government would cut the amount of cash the Scottish Government has to spend.

Mr Salmond has written to Mr Osborne, as well as to Chancellor Alistair Darling and Vince Cable of the Liberal Democrats, seeking reassurances the Scottish budget for 2010-11 will not be reduced.

Both Mr Salmond and Mr Osborne are speaking at the Federation of Small Businesses conference in Aberdeen today.

And speaking on BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme Mr Osborne said that in his reply to Mr Salmond he told him: "I'm in Aberdeen today so is he, I'm happy to meet him.

"I have said to him I am happy to sit down and meet him and discuss the Scottish budget."

Mr Osborne said: "I think it's in everyone's interest the shadow chancellor of the United Kingdom, hoping to be the next chancellor in a few weeks time, and the First Minister of Scotland, can get together, discuss these issues, and that's what mutual respect is all about."

However he stated: "I think we all understand that we have got to live within our means as a country."

And when asked for a guarantee that he would not reduce the Scottish budget, the Tory said: "What I want to do is talk to Alex Salmond about how we as a country live within our means, I think he understands the country has got a debt problem."

But Mr Osborne added: "I also am respectful of the fact that a budget has been passed in Scotland and I want to have that discussion face to face with him."

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson – who is also speaking at the FSB conference – also said he would be "perfectly delighted" to speak with Mr Salmond at today's event.

The Labour peer told the same programme: "I exchange views with him quite often."

However he added: "I don't know whether we're going to be in the hall at the same time."