Lib Dems warn SNP ministers 'need to pull out all the stops' for budget support

The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has warned SNP ministers “need to pull out all the stops to persuade us” to back their budget amid speculation the two parties were on the cusp of a deal.

Shona Robison will publish her draft budget tomorrow, but will need the support of an opposition party for the legislation backing the budget to be passed - which will take place in February.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton. Picture: Jane Barlow/AFP via Getty

Amid a suggestion over the weekend that the Lib Dems are poised to agree a deal with the Scottish Government, a source from the party warned “that’s certainly not the language we would use”.

They added: “There’s still quite a bit of distance between us and the government.”

Read more: SNP warned not to use workers as 'scapegoats' for cutting services in budget

Scottish Lib Dem leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton, told The Scotsman that his party “will make our voices heard on what really matters”.

He added: “That means getting our constituents fast access to healthcare like GPs and dentists, tackling long Covid and the mental health crisis, fighting for a fair deal for carers, restoration of funding for local councils, lifting up Scottish education and growing the economy.

“We’ve made it clear that we want to put a stop to the millions wasted on independence and the doomed centralisation of social care.”

Mr Cole-Hamilton also warned that there is still a big gulf between the SNP and the LibDems, putting talk of a deal being stuck imminently on ice.

Read more: Inside the Scottish Budget negotiations, as Greens want policies woven into SNP plans

He said: “We will always act like grown-ups, but the SNP will need to pull out all the stops to persuade us because for too many people it just feels like nothing works anymore.”

The Scottish Greens, the only other party likely to prop up Ms Robison’s budget, have set out their priorities and red lines as party of discussions with SNP ministers - pointing to funding for climate and nature and a better funding deal for local government.

Speaking to The Scotsman in October, Greens finance spokesperson, Ross Greer, suggested the starting point for negotiations would be this year’s budget agreed under the Bute House Agreement, branded the greenest budget since devolution which included £4.7 billion of funding for climate protection.

Read more: SNP to prioritise the NHS in the Scottish budget, says John Swinney

Mr Greer has now insisted his party is “prepared to work constructively with the SNP to pass a budget, provided that it meets our climate and council funding tests”.

He added: “In the last budget the Scottish Greens secured a record £4.7bn for climate and nature work. This is the minimum investment that we need going forward, given how rapidly the crisis is getting worse.

“The Scottish Greens expect to see a fair deal for councils in this budget, including a real-terms increase to their funding.”

First Minister John Swinney and finance secretary Shona Robison | Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

First Minister John Swinney said his government’s draft budget “puts the people of Scotland first”.

He added: “It will be a budget for delivery, showing we have heard the issues people have accessing public services and taking action to address the problems.

“It will be a budget for hope, putting in place the investment that will set us up to win big in the years to come – creating more and better jobs and putting more money in people’s pockets.”