The SNP Government Budget will be passed after Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said his party would not oppose the plans. Sarwar said Labour will abstain in the crunch vote next month and could even vote in favour if measures to scrap the two child benefit cap are brought forward.
First Minister John Swinney yesterday urged MSPs to back a draft Budget that contains billions of pounds of extra spending. Central is extra cash for the NHS, restoration of winter fuel payments for the elderly abolished by the Labour Government and preparatory work for scrapping the cap.
Swinney’s plan also reverses around £200m of housing cuts made by SNP predecessor Humza Yousaf.
But with Swinney leading a minority Government he needs the support of a party other than the tiny Alba. The Lib Dems and Greens were thought to be the most likely to back Swinney, but Sarwar told the BBC Labour will at the least abstain. A Labour abstention guarantees passage of the Budget.
Swinney used a speech yesterday to warn of the “catastrophic” consequences for the NHS if the Budget does not pass.
He said: “It would put at risk £2 billion of additional investment in the NHS, causing a catastrophic reduction in service delivery. Operations would likely have to be cancelled. Nurses’ and doctors’ pay rises would be under threat. Medicines might have to be rationed.”
He added: “It might mean that we cannot spend any more money on health and social care in April 2025 than we did in April 2024. Think about what that might mean for pay. If the pay rate is higher next year – and it is contractually meant to be – but the budget is frozen every month, how can pay increases be met?
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