SNP under fire for refusing to guarantee key budgets

Published on Friday 24 July 2009 22:02

THE Scottish Government last night refused to guarantee that the health and education budgets would be exempt from future cuts as the row over public spending intensified.

Government officials declined to follow the example of Labour and the Conservatives at Westminster and commit to protecting key budgets during the recession. Labour said the SNP was guilty of a "spectacular failing", because of its unwillingness to guarantee the money.

Mr Salmond argues that Scotland is facing an annual 500 million cut over three years as a result of Alistair Darling's budget plans. But Labour claims the grant will actually increase.

Last night a Labour spokesman said: "If they can't even guarantee basic spending on services when their budget is going up, that is a spectacular failing."

Annabel Goldie, the Scottish Conservative leader, said: "If Alex Salmond is so certain there is going to be a 500m cut, then will he come clean and say where there are going to be cuts? We need a bit of honesty here."