MSP threatens rough ride for SNP budget unless significant changes are made on transport

THE SNP government's first budget has suffered a setback after the Greens made it clear they could not support the Nationalists' plan.

The Greens believe funding for the M74 extension and a lack of resources for public transport projects make it impossible for them to support the financial proposals.

In an interview with the Sunday Herald, Green MSP Patrick Harvie said his party would vote against the budget unless "significant" changes were made.

The blow comes as the SNP government seeks to persuade Holyrood's opposition parties to back the budget that finance secretary John Swinney unveiled last year.

With first minister Alex Salmond leading a minority government, the SNP may have to rely on the votes of other parties to push through their proposals.

If, for instance, Labour voted against the budget, the Nationalists would require the support of two opposition parties for their plans to become law.

The Greens, who have two MSPs, are unlikely to vote in favour of the budget because of the SNP's transport plans. The Nationalists are committed to two road projects, the M74 extension and the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, which the Greens refuse to support.

Harvie, the Green MSP for Glasgow, has had several meetings with Swinney on the budget. He said: "In its current form, what we would be effectively endorsing is policy as it stands and as it stood - business as usual. We are not the party of business as usual'.

"What we have seen so far isn't enough. There are some big ticket items being paid for in the current spending review that we find unacceptable. We can't square ourselves with things like the M74 extension. We can't vote for something against our conscience."

He added: "The major things that we'd like to see ditched are the major transport infrastructure projects. If they kept those projects in it the budget and they wanted our support, they would have to do something pretty dramatic on other areas of sustainable transport, and that's not happening."

Harvie said the SNP government had been "competent" in office, but added: "It's competence in pursuing continued policies that represent business as usual, and business as usual is trashing the planet."

He also expressed frustration at the government's aviation policy: "They have talked about scrapping the route development fund, which we were positive about, but now they are talking about replacing it with something else. That's replacing one formulation of bad policy with another."

The budget opposition comes eight months after the Greens and Nationalists signed a co-operation agreement for joint working in the parliament.

"Transport issues generally were one of the reasons we couldn't get a closer working arrangement," Harvie added.

A spokesperson for Swinney said: "There is a long way to go yet in the budget process, and people are perfectly entitled to put forward their views on individual aspects.

"Given that the M74 is supported by an overwhelming majority of MSPs, it would be bound to be part of any budget. This budget is the right one for Scotland - investing heavily in public transport, renewable energy, and tackling climate change - and we are confident that parliament as a whole will recognise that."