SNP accused of being ‘elitist’ over college cuts

The first minister has defended his government's funding decisions on colleges following an accusation his government was “elitist”.

Both Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar raised an Audit Scotland report which says the sector has faced a 20 per cent real-terms cut to funding.

Sarwar accused the Scottish Government of being “snooty” and “elitist”, saying it “refuses to recognise” the value of colleges and had put university ahead of further education to the detriment of working class communities in particular.

John Swinney said he was “absolutely committed” to investing in colleges, highlighting a slight increase to funding for teaching via the Scottish Funding Council, as well as an increase to capital resources.

On the elistism comment, he said: “I don't think a state school boy getting lectured to about elitism is a great look for Mr Sarwar.”

Sarwar was educated at Hutchesons' Grammar School, a private school in Glasgow, while Swinney attended a state school in Edinburgh.

The Audit Scotland report warned colleges faced an “extremely difficult financial landscape”, with institutions “delivering less teaching to fewer students to balance their books”.

It comes days after a similar publication by the Scottish Funding Council. 

Colleges Scotland is calling on the Scottish Government to “stop the decline”.

Sarwar also raised the risk of closure of Forth Valley College’s Alloa campus, which he said was due to the “financial crisis caused by this government”.

The FM said education secretary Jenny Gilruth was engaging with the college to protect the future of the campus, adding it was important to “maximise access to learning”.

Meanwhile, Findlay said that reductions to college budgets “directly harms economic growth” and impacts the life chances of young Scots.

He urged the government to “rule out” tax rises in the coming Scottish budget, arguing college cuts were another example of Scots facing “higher bills and worse public services”.

Swinney refused to be drawn on what the budget would contain, but he insisted half of Scots currently paid less tax than counterparts in England.

He went on the blame austerity under the Conservatives for difficult budget decisions.

The Scottish budget is not expected to be delivered before the end of the year, after the UK Government’s budget was scheduled for late November.

Earlier in FMQs, there was a moment of consensus as all leaders offered their condolences to those impacted by the synagogue attack in Manchester.

The first minister said the anti-Semitism was “an evil we must confront and stand resolutely against”.