NORTH Ayrshire’s MP has slated the “staggering incompetence” of the UK Tory Government after it was revealed that EU money allocated to the UK has already been clawed back because it has not been spent.

The UK received more than £3.5 million for 2014 to 2020 from the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived, to be used in projects such as child poverty, homelessness or food banks.

Patricia Gibson MP claims that after almost six years, the UK Government has failed to deliver spending aimed at addressing “the worst forms of poverty” and so far, about £580,000 of unspent cash has been reclaimed, with a similar amount at risk of being deducted this year.

Mrs Gibson hit out: “It is unbelievable, at a time when public services face such budget pressures, that money had to be given back because a way hasn’t been found of investing it in assisting those who need it most.”

“This is yet another example of the UK Tory Government’s staggering incompetence.”