SCOTTISH Labour will today test the strength of opposition to the SNP’s draft budget by pushing for a no confidence vote framed in the broadest possible terms.
The party has tabled a stripped-down motion asking MSPs to agree that “the Parliament believes that the Draft Budget does not protect public services”.
The wording is designed to make it as hard as possible for the Scottish Greens, the most likely budget allies for the minority SNP administration, to disagree.
The Greens have already called for extra money for councils in the 2018-19 budget.
Published by Finance Secretary Derek Mackay last month, the draft budget is currently being examined by the Scottish parliament’s committees.
A formal Budget Bill is due to be introduced on January 25, with a final vote in the week beginning February 19.
MSPs must also vote though a tax resolution setting the new rates, bands and thresholds for income tax in 2018-19 before the Budget can be passed.
Labour said the draft budget left councils facing a real terms cut of £700m in the coming year.
The party said current spending plans would “perpetuate unacceptable levels of poverty and inequality”, and council cuts would hit the poorest hardest.
Arguing for "radical" use of Holyrood’s tax powers to raise extra revenue, MSP James Kelly said: “Labour is today laying down a vote of no confidence in the budget because it fails to protect public services, and those cuts will hit the poorest the hardest.
“Councils deliver lifeline local services like schools, housing, roads and social care. However year after year these services face cuts,with an effective cut of £700m this year alone.
“The SNP cannot hope to take the pressure off of our NHS or grow the economy for the long term while cutting these budgets. It is a false economy that will sell Scotland short.
“Instead of tinkering around the edges we need a budget that delivers real and radical change, protecting services and tackling poverty.”
Green MSP Patrick Harvie said Labour were “posturing” on the budget, but agreed that it must go further on improving council services and public sector pay.
He said: “Last year we reversed the SNP’s cuts to local services, and this year we have already won the basic argument on a fairer system of income tax rates and bands.
“The budget as drafted must go further to improve council funding and public sector pay if it’s to win our support. Labour’s motion stating the obvious won’t achieve the necessary changes. If they really want to protect public services, they should recognise that in a parliament of minorities all parties have a responsibility to put forward positive and constructive proposals. Playing games doesn’t help the people of our communities.”
A spokesperson for Mr Mackay: “Looking at the Labour group’s contribution to the budget process so far, you get the impression that the changing of light bulbs within the Labour offices requires a three-line whip.
“Despite being offered exactly the same opportunities to feed into the budget process as all the other parties in the Scottish Parliament, Labour have uniquely been unable to come up with a single practical suggestion, and haven’t even been able to come up with any alternative tax plans - so it is no wonder they are resorting to pathetic stunts such as this.
"Voting against the Scottish Budget will be a vote against investing in childcare, our schools, hospitals and other vital public services, giving them the funds they need to deliver better services for all of Scotland - and providing the staff who work there the pay rise they deserve and which the UK Tory government has failed to deliver."
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