Labour abstention means ‘cheapest budget deal’ since devolution – Findlay

Scottish Labour abstaining in the vote on the Scottish Government’s Budget amounts to the “cheapest” deal on the tax and spending plans since devolution, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives has said.

Labour leader Anas Sarwar announced this week his party will abstain in the final vote – due at the end of February – effectively green-lighting the Government’s Budget plans.

He went on to say his party will actively back the Budget if ministers agreed to bring forward plans to mitigate the two-child benefit cap by April of this year as opposed to the planned rollout in 2026.

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, Tory leader Russell Findlay said: “Labour have folded and the Budget will pass, everybody knows that.

“(First Minister John Swinney) must be delighted at the weakness of Scottish Labour.

“This has been the cheapest budget deal in 26 years of devolution, and it’s typical Labour, helping the SNP just as they did with Nicola Sturgeon’s gender law and Humza Yousaf’s hate crime Act.”

In a statement, Scottish Labour’s finance spokesman Michael Marra said: “Since the UK Labour government delivered an extra £5.2 billion for Scotland, this Budget was always going to pass and it is pathetic game-playing for the Tories to pretend otherwise.

“However, Scottish Labour has been clear that we will only vote for this Budget if it lifts the two child cap right away.

“We want to see UK Labour’s record investment of £5.2 billion reach frontline services – but it’s clear this Budget won’t deliver the change in direction our country needs.

“The only way to put an end to SNP mismanagement and deliver a genuine change in direction for Scotland is by electing a Scottish Labour government in 2026.”

Mr Findlay went on to say the decision means the First Minister will not have to “strike any damaging deals with the Greens”, as he asked him if he would rule out tax rises or “extremist policies”.

The Scottish Government has committed not to raise tax for the remainder of this Holyrood term.

Responding, Mr Swinney reiterated his assertion that his door is open to other parties ahead of the Budget vote.

“I want to have as much agreement as I can possibly construct in this Parliament, supporting the Budget measures so we can all work together, as we have a statutory duty to do, to eradicate child poverty in Scotland,” he said.

“The support of any member willing to help the Government in our efforts to eradicate child poverty will be welcomed by me.”

Mr Findlay also derided the First Minister’s description of the Budget as a “turning point”, saying: “Isn’t it just more of the same divisive, populist nonsense from John Swinney and the SNP?”

The First Minister said the Budget had “touched a raw nerve with the Conservatives”, as he laid out the organisations, including Save the Children and the Scottish Retail Consortium, who have called for it to pass.

“This is a Budget for unity in Scotland and it’s not a surprise that the populist Conservatives are having nothing to do with it,” Mr Swinney said.