Scottish Budget
Scottish Budget
Budget: Deals that won over opposition
The deals that John Swinney struck with opposition parties to get his Budget through the Scottish Parliament:
Budget analysis: Labour left looking lonely in opposition
JOHN Swinney resembled a man who puts on an old pair of jeans and discovers to his delight a crumpled £20 note in the back pocket.
More top stories
SNP spends, spends, spends to get Budget go-ahead
THE battle lines for May's election have been drawn after SNP ministers passed the final Budget of their term in office by pledging to outbid Labour in hauling Scotland out of economic crisis.
Sketch: Proposed tax powers could rake in £600m more, Swinney admits
Plans to overhaul Holyrood's tax-raising powers would see Scotland benefit to the tune of more than £600 million in the coming years, finance secretary John Swinney has admitted.
Deal for student cash to save SNP budget
A LAST-MINUTE deal to provide more cash support for poorer students is poised to ensure the SNP government's spending plans are backed by parliament today.
John Swinney makes last-ditch bid to win backing for Scottish budget
FINANCE Secretary John Swinney has written to opposition parties outlining proposed changes to the Scottish budget in the hope of winning enough support for it to pass at Holyrood tomorrow.
Ross Martin: Tesco Tax not past its sell-by date yet
As THE Scottish Budget deadline approaches, the proposal for the so-called "Tesco Tax" should remain in the parliament's shopping basket. Alongside a range of other taxes, the economically nutritious value of this levy on retailers grossing more than £3 million-£4m annually should be more carefully considered. It is not past its sell-by date yet, but it needs quick action to ensure that it doesn't rot on the political vine.
Eddie Barnes: wheelings and dealings behind the scenes as the Scottish budget looms
IN PREVIOUS years, we have seen Alex Salmond sending scribbled notes of entreaty to opposition MSPs seated at the back of the parliamentary chamber. There was the Green MSP Patrick Harvie storming through Holyrood's precincts, angrily complaining about bad ministerial manners. Or Tavish Scott sorting out Lib Dem backing for the 2009 budget while parked in his car in Edinburgh. We have had deals, gambles and betrayals.
The Budget: 'Spending on schools, hospitals and transport needs to be cut'
The Scottish Government has been warned to curb its multi-billion pound spending plans on future road, hospital and school projects to deal with swingeing Budget cuts.
SNP finance plans pass first hurdle but tense talks hold key to final approval
THE Scottish Government's £30 billion Budget was given preliminary backing by MSPs last night as it passed its first parliamentary hurdle.
£30m blow for John Swinney as 'Tesco tax' hits buffers
THE SNP government's flagship £30 million "Tesco tax" is now almost certain to be rejected by the Scottish Parliament after a Holyrood committee yesterday voted against the controversial plan.
Parties fire election starting gun
Labour leader Iain Gray held talks with Prince Charles yesterday as the party fired the starting gun on the campaign for the Holyrood election in 100 days' time.
John Swinney unveils his four-year 'flat-cash' plan
Finance secretary John Swinney has said there will be no changes to key areas of government spending until 2015 as he published the Budget plans for the next four years.
Green MSPs in threat to bring down Scots Budget
THE Green Party's two MSPs are poised to vote against the Scottish Government's Budget plans, in a move that could prevent ministers from getting their plans through parliament.
Scottish Budget will fail to boost growth, MSPs warned
The Scottish Government's spending plans do not go far enough to stimulate long-term economic growth, MSPs have been warned.
SNP's abandonment of 3p tax-raising powers 'irrelevant'
THE row over the SNP government handing back tax- raising powers to London has been dismissed by the former trade union leader drafted in by Alex Salmond to head a review into the future delivery of Scotland's public services.
Campbell Christie to report on future delivery
FIRST Minister Alex Salmond is today due to launch a commission to carry out a wide-ranging review into the future delivery of Scotland's public services.
SNP 'wasted £1.2m on lost cause'
MORE than £1 million of taxpayers' cash has been "wasted" on paying for civil servants to work on the SNP government's campaign to promote independence, new figures have revealed.
Profile: Union man with a wealth of experience
Campbell Christie joined the civil service in 1954, and became active in the trade union movement.
Council funding deal starts to unravel
A FUNDING deal between the Scottish Government and councils is fracturing within 24 hours of being signed after the country's biggest local authority described it as "undeliverable" and two others revealed they would be axing 2,400 jobs.
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Weather for Edinburgh
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
