The UK Government has been urged to ask for a multi-million-pound cash boost from Brussels to help flood stricken communities across Scotland.
Holyrood’s Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown has written to Westminster Environment Secretary Liz Truss requesting she bids to the European Union Solidarity Fund to aid the clean-up operation in the aftermath of the devastation.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon suggested the UK Government might be holding back on applying for the cash because of the looming referendum on EU membership.
She said: “The UK actually received 162 million euros after the floods in 2007 but so far they have declined to make an application in relation to recent flooding.”
A UK Government spokesman said Scotland Office Minister Andrew Dunlop met Mr Brown on Friday and did not rule out making an application.
He added: “However, the nature of the scheme means it would not provide financial support for the majority of homes or businesses, would take several months to receive, and only provides a fraction of the actual costs from the damage.”
The SNP leader also warned David Cameron he is risking a so-called Brexit by holding the EU referendum in June.
Such a date has been widely speculated if the Prime Minister can come away from Brussels with renegotiated terms of membership next month.
Ms Sturgeon said she was concerned that a “narrow” focus by the Prime Minister on the renegotiations risked allowing the campaign for a Leave vote to “steal a march”. She also urged the In campaign to take a more positive approach than that of the No side in Scotland’s independence referendum or risk being “overtaken” in the poll.