LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton and Katie Forbes, the SNP finance secretary.
By Lucy Ashton
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today declared that after failing to make progress in talks with the Finance Secretary Katie Forbes his party will be voting against the Scottish budget at stage 1.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “Last year I was proud to do a deal with the government to secure a significant investment in education and an additional £120 million extra for mental health. I had hoped we might be able to make similar progress this year.
“However faced with a budget that delivers £371 million in cuts to local government and an unwillingness on the part of the SNP-Green Government to deliver key Scottish Liberal Democrat demands on long Covid and social care, we have no choice but to vote against the budget at stage one.
“What’s more, last year the First Minister and the Finance Secretary sensibly set aside preparations for an independence referendum. This time they intend to have civil servants beavering away on preparations for another referendum. That’s a waste of time and energy that should be spent on health, social care and the climate emergency.
“This is a budget that will break the bank for cash strapped local authorities while ministerial attention drifts to breaking up the UK. We’re a long way from being able to offer the government our votes to see it through.”