Jinglin' Johnnie Swinney can no longer plead 'Westminster austerity' and must fund councils properly

“Westminster austerity!” has been a rallying cry for the SNP for many more years than we care to remember. However, as we pointed out after Rachel Reeves’ tax-raising Budget, this can no longer be said with any credibility at all (although it has not stopped nationalist politicians from doing just that).

The many and varied consequences of the Chancellor’s plans include a whopping £3.4 billion extra for the Scottish Government. So if Jinglin’ Johnnie Swinney claims they need even more, tell them to pull the other one as it has bells on.

Given the shocking state of the NHS, few would object if the health service was first in the queue of those seeking a share of that money. But second in line should be local councils, which have been starved of necessary funds for years, so much so that the phrase “SNP austerity” has been much bandied about by the party’s critics.

Schools, social care and potholes

Part of the problem has been that, while the SNP has raised its own taxes, it has brought in council tax freezes that have left local authorities feeling decidedly short-changed. Some fear they could be preparing to announce another in next month’s Budget, although we suspect the First Minister is unlikely to do this. Humza Yousaf’s surprise announcement at last year’s SNP conference last year hardly went down well.

So council umbrella group Cosla’s appeal for hundreds of millions of pounds, partly to fund higher national insurance costs for council staff, and the power to set their own rate of council tax at least deserves a hearing. After all, local authorities fund schools, social care and road repairs, all issues of great importance to people’s lives.

John Swinney can no longer plead poverty in talks with councils about their budgets (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell) | Getty Images

Scottish Government interference in local taxation and the tendency to ring-fence funding for various schemes restrict councils’ ability to do their jobs. The whole point of local government is to allow different places to make different decisions, with councillors paying the price or reaping the rewards of their failures and successes at the ballot box.

It may be at odds with the SNP’s centralising instincts, but it’s time to provide fair funding for councils and the freedom to make their own decisions.