THE SNP's finance spokeswoman has accused Chancellor Rishi Sunak of failing to respect devolved governments after they had to find out about his plans to scrap the autumn budget on social media. 

Alison Thewliss, the party's shadow chancellor and Glasgow Central MP, hit out at Mr Sunak's conduct in response to his spending announcement today

She said: "The chancellor, did not have the courtesy to lift the phone to the Cabinet Secretary for finance in the Scottish Government Kate Forbes or her counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland to let her know he plans to scrap the autumn budget.

"They found out on Twitter."

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Referencing the Tories' decision to cancel last year's autumn budget too due to the General Election, she said: "It's not the first time that this government has had a lack of respect for the devolved institutions because this happened last year too.

"Does he appreciate the very difficult situation he has created by this with no access to the fiscal levers and no clarity on funding settlements. He has tied both of Kate Forbes hands behind her back, what does he intend to do about that?"

The Herald:

In response the Chancellor said: "The chief secretary to the Treasury speaks regularly with his counterparts, as I believe is doing very shortly.

"With regards to budgets there is a well worth process for how to devolved nations budgets are set. There is absolutely no requirement for UK budget to be done beforehand and that was not the case earlier this spring."

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Ms Thewliss also criticised the lack of support for people who have been previously left out of the government's existing schemes.

She said: "There's nothing here, nothing whatsoever for those that have been excluded from accessing support. The freelancers, the forgotten limited, the PAYE, the new starters, the women on maternity are all of those who have had not one penny piece from this government for six months.

"He cannot say he doesn't know this is the problem, although he still refuses to meet with them. How dare he say that these 3 million people should be left high and dry with nothing."