Extra money for Dundee’s V&A had to come fast.
It’s bad enough £31 million is being added to the project’s total when the museum will arrive 18 months late.
Imagine the reaction if there were more delays. Or if there was any indication it might not happen at all.
With a general election this year and a Holyrood election next May, there is no way the SNP would allow its politicians to face the music of such a crucial investment in Scotland’s “Yes City” dramatically failing.
The extra £10 million pledged by the Scottish Government only covers around a third of the total shortfall but ministers hope the fact it ensures building works get started will be enough to make others invest in the museum and get it over the line.
Beyond the welcome news of this money, there are serious questions which need answered into the spiralling costs. Namely, why did this happen?
Either someone has made a major, major error with their abacus or there was a realisation the initial figure was never achievable and attempts were made to pull the wool over our eyes.
Neither of these scenarios is acceptable.
The V&A will be wonderful for Dundee. It must happen and it will because politicians would lose their jobs if it didn’t. That scenario is what really scares them.