The SNP’s Budget Bill has passed its final vote in the Scottish Parliament, setting out the Government’s tax and spending plans for the upcoming financial year.
Green and Lib Dem MSPs backed the government as well as did Alba’s sole MSP. Ash Regan, left. Scottish Labour abstained and the Conservatives voted against the Budget.
It is the first time the Scottish Parliament has voted through a Budget since the powersharing deal between the SNP and Greens was terminated last year.
Ministers highlighted record spending for the NHS and councils in the £63 billion budget settlement, as well as reintroducing a universal winter fuel payment.
She thanked the Greens, Lib Dems and Alba for the “pragmatic approach” they had taken. Ms Robison said: “This is a budget to improve services, tackle child poverty and bring new opportunities – but Labour so far will not back it. It’s not enough to will the ends, you must will the means.”
The Finance Secretary also said £15 million would be made available to help cash-strapped Scottish universities, mentioning Dundee University in particular.
Ms Robison used the issue to urge Labour’s finance spokesman Michael Marra – who has previously represented the city as a councillor – to support the Budget Bill, telling him: “Dundee is watching.”
Mr Marra said the SNP was only able to deliver this year’s budget due to the UK Labour Government’s £5.2 billion funding uplift for Holyrood. He said the budget fails to deliver the “lasting change” needed for Scotland’s NHS, schools and economy.
Mr Marra said: “Scotland is being let down by an irresponsible SNP government that has been reckless with taxpayers’ money and feckless with your public services. Scotland needs a new direction – and Scottish Labour will deliver it.”
Tory MSP Craig Hoy, left, said the budget was a failed opportunity for the SNP to change the direction of the Government. He said: “The budget that we are asked to support today could have been very different.
“It could have cut taxes for hard-working Scots, it could have been pro-business, it could have set a new direction for social security, and it could have tackled the bloated SNP state. But despite a significant increase in funding this budget imposes the heaviest tax burden in the history of devolution.”
Meanwhile, the Scottish Lib Dems secured increased investment for drugs services and hospices. The total cost of the separate deals with the Greens and Lib Dems is £16.7 million.
Green Ross Greer MSP and LibDem leader Alex Cole Hamilton.
Green MSP Ross Greer said a journalist had recently asked him why his party had not chosen to give the SNP a “bloody nose” after they were kicked out of government with the end of the Bute House Agreement.
He said that doing so would have treated politics as a game, adding: “Politics as a game doesn’t feed children, doesn’t create jobs or protect our planet.”