John Swinney slams ‘destructive’ Tories as Lib Dems confirm budget support

The Liberal Democrats will support the Scottish Government’s budget, it has been confirmed.

Finance secretary Shona Robison this morning urged rival parties to “unite” behind her party’s tax and spend plan.

The call came ahead of the stage one debate on the budget, which is scheduled to take place this afternoon.

The proposals include £22.5bn for health and social care, extra funding for colleges and universities, and an uplift to the Scottish Child Payment.

A further £2.9m has now been committed for hospices to help them bring pay rates in line with those of the NHS, and another £20m has been earmarked for the provision of social care through local authorities.

After campaigning from the hospitality sector, licensed premises and music venues will see their rates relief increased.

The Scottish Conservatives are expected to vote against it, with Labour set to abstain.

At First Minister’s Questions, Lib Dem economy spokesman Jamie Greene said his party will back it.

First Minister John Swinney said Greene’s party had been “constructive” in budget talks.

Greene said the draft budget had responded to his party’s calls for more funding for colleges, autism assessments and young entrepreneurs, and the latest announcements are “progress” on Lib Dem priorities.

He said: “We chose to negotiate properly and get things done. So we will support the budget this afternoon.”

Welcoming the commitment, Swinney said: “The government does not have a majority and so needs to work with others to get the budget through and what we’ve experienced this year is constructive collaboration with some political parties to advance on the issue. I’m sure the people of Scotland will notice that.”

Craig Hoy of the Scottish Conservatives said there was a “love-in” between the Lib Dems and the SNP and said Scotland’s “brutal” business rates system is forcing prices up. He asked if Swinney was “happy to be the first minister who forced hard-working Scots to pay £10 a pint”.

The FM said alcohol taxation was a reserved area and Hoy had “contributed the square root of absolutely nothing to the budget process”.

He said: “Countless Labour and Tory governments have made it more and more difficult for the spirits and beer industry in this country to survive because of their stupid decisions on alcohol taxation.”

Swinney added: “The Scottish Government is managing to navigate its budget through parliament without a majority and, thankfully, without contaminating ourselves with the destructive force of the Conservative Party.”

After the session, Greene said: “Neither the Scottish Conservatives nor Scottish Labour got a penny from this budget. That is because neither cared about using their leverage as opposition parties to deliver for people.”