SNP's Budget talks with Greens and Lib Dems set to go to the wire
SNP ministers have been urged to draw up a “pro-business” budget amid fears political wrangling could “get in the way” as talks are poised to come down to the wire.
Shona Robison will deliver her draft budget to Holyrood next week, when she sets out her spending plans for the next financial year after being handed a £3.4 billion boost from Westminster.
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But with the SNP running a minority government after the Bute House Agreement was ripped up in April, talks with the two opposition parties that could realistically prop up Ms Robison’s budget are set to continue - with both the Lib Dems and Greens suggesting an agreement is still within reach.
The Scottish Government has confirmed to The Scotsman that a decision over whether to continue funding the controversial ‘building a new Scotland’ independence papers is still yet to be taken. A key red line for the Lib Dems is that not a single penny of public funding is spent on the constitution.
Ahead of the final wrangling between SNP ministers, led by public finance minister Ivan McKee, and the Greens and Lib Dems, businesses have made an appeal for the political squabbling not to overshadow a good deal for retailers.
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Hide AdThe Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) has stressed that MSPs must avoid passing “unwarranted costs” on to businesses in the Scottish Government’s spending plans.
David Lonsdale, director of the SRC, said: “Whilst MSPs will rightly and robustly scrutinise the Scottish Government’s tax and spending plans, it’s vital politics doesn’t get in the way of ensuring a budget that delivers for Scotland’s businesses.
“In these unsettling times when growth is weak, retail sales are flat-lining and taxes and other statutory costs are spiralling, businesses crave certainty and predictability.”
Mr Lonsdale urged all parties to back a budget that will deliver economic growth - one of John Swinney’s four priorities, but unlikely to win the favour of the Greens.
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Hide AdHe added: “We therefore hope Scottish ministers will bring forward a pragmatic, pro-business budget which doesn’t unfairly increase the cost of doing business and prioritises competitive business taxes.
“In return that should maximise the chance of a collegiate approach amongst government and opposition MSPs which would ensure that a pro-growth and business-friendly Budget can be passed quickly without delay.
“Any failure to pass a budget in good time would add a thick layer of uncertainty at an already challenging time for retail.
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Hide Ad“We hope our political parties will collectively rise to the challenge.”
The Scottish Greens were the early favourites to secure a deal with SNP ministers, despite the hostile fallout from the Bute House Agreement being ended - but warm words from both parties has gone quiet, as least publicly, in recent weeks.
That has raised the prospect that Ms Robison could gain the support of the Scottish Lib Dems in order to secure the passage of her budget.
A Greens source told The Scotsman that a deal was “still feasible”, with the party expected to set out more of its spending proposals this week.
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Hide AdThe insider suggested that the Lib Dems being “in play” was “genuinely a good thing”, adding: “We’ve called for other parties to take this seriously for years.”
The source added: “Either we get a deal agreed and the budget has some good Green features, or the SNP do a deal with the Lib Dems and it's even easier for us to keep chipping away at their already disillusioned left flank.”
In September, Ms Robison told journalists that a decision on whether to press ahead with her government’s controversial independence papers was yet to be made after publication was “paused” during the general election campaign.
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But a decision is still yet to be made over whether to unpause the policy.
A spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government has a clear mandate to provide the people of Scotland with the information they need to make an informed choice about their future.
“Decisions on future papers will be taken in due course.”
The stand-off comes after Scottish Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton warned his party will not back any budget, nor simply abstain from any vote, if a single penny of public money is spent on independence.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Show, Mr Cole-Hamilton said the Scottish Lib Dems were “a long way” from agreement with the Scottish Government.
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Hide AdHe added: “The direction of travel is reasonably positive but there is still a massive gulf between us.”
Mr Cole-Hamilton stressed that in order for his party to back any SNP budget, Ms Robison will “have to move some mountains to get us to the table properly”.


He added that his party’s priorities in securing a budget agreement include “restoring power and funding to our local governments” as well as tackling “violence in our schools” and “access to local healthcare”, claiming that obtaining NHS dentistry was “fast becoming a thing of the past”.
The Lib Dems leader also pointed to capital spending being used on NHS projects such as the Edinburgh eye pavilion and a new Lochaber hospital in Fort William, as well as committing to reopening a train station at Newburgh in Fife.
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Hide AdBut Mr Cole-Hamilton said that “a change of government” is required.
He added that he would “love an election” after the Lib Dems performed well in the general election in July.
But he warned against simply tearing up a budget deal to force an election - setting out concerns the Lib Dems could be punished at the ballot box for doing so.
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Hide AdHe said: “It’s actually very, very difficult in the terms of the Scottish Parliament, to bring the government down.
“If the budget doesn’t pass, you see things like local government funding settlements not being made, people stop being paid.
“The people of this country will then, quite rightly, turn on the parties that made that happen. That’s the reality of this. I’d love an election but it’s just not feasible.”
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Hide AdMr Cole-Hamilton added: “We’re not convinced, and the SNP will have to go a long way to persuade us, that whilst they may delete things like any independence spending from their budget, they won’t just go back to their old ways about spending all political oxygen on the constitution.
“I don’t see a circumstance where any Liberal Democrat could vote for a budget that clearly was spending money on the constitution when they were given that clear message from the people of Scotland.
“I think that would be a massive misuse of public funds, no matter how small.”
Asked whether even a single penny spent on independence would block a budget deal with his party, the Lib Dems leader said “we need every penny available” to be spent on public services.
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Hide AdA Scottish Government spokesperson said: "The Scottish Government is working to prioritise our resources in line with the First Minister's priorities of ending child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and supporting the path to net zero.
“Ministers are committed to building as broad support as possible across Parliament in order to deliver the forthcoming budget. Engagement with all parties is ongoing ahead of the draft budget being set out in the Scottish Parliament on 4 December.”
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