Budget f igures reveal SNP lies over austerity and cutbacks

SNP accusations of Westminster austerity have been disproved by figures showing the Scottish Budget has not been cut over the past seven years.

The money given to Scotland to spend on devolved areas has remained constant in real terms since the financial year 2008-09.

It now stands at just over £35billion – and the Scottish Government’s own figures show there has been no cut even when inflation is taken into account.

The revelation is an embarrassment for a party that has just spent three days at its conference criticising UK Government austerity supposedly imposed on Scots.

On the BBC’s Sunday Politics Scotland yesterday, SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson was asked how much Scotland’s budget was – but struggled to answer. ‘Well, the Scottish Government has had to deal with very, very difficult circumstances,’ he replied. ‘Government budgets across the UK have been cut – and in Scotland too.’

When told there had been no cut, according to the Scottish Government’s own figures, he tried to shift the focus back onto the UK Government.

He said: ‘We’re here to talk about the opportunities at Westminster, where many of the powers in relation to the budget and to finances are still exercised and you have asked me to come on a programme to debate with Diane Abbott about the relative positions of the SNP and Labour Party.’

With less than seven months until the Scottish election, the SNP continues to ride high in the polls, around 30 points ahead of Labour, with the Tories closing on second place. But cracks are starting to appear behind the scenes.

Senior SNP figures struggled to explain how they got oil tax revenue figures so badly wrong before last year’s referendum and why health spending is rising faster south of the Border.

Scots economic growth has stalled and the jobless total has soared by 18,000 in the past three months – in contrast to south of the Border where employment is at a record high.

Literacy standards have fallen sharply in Scots schools and the SNP has missed a series of NHS waiting times targets.

During the SNP conference, both nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney sought to blame the UK Government f or their failings.

In her first speech to the party delegates, Miss Sturgeon said: ‘Our record in govern- ment is one of delivery and achievement.

‘It’s not perfect– of course it’s not – the recession and Westminster austerity have created a financial climate much tougher than anything we could have contemplated back in 2007.’

Tory MSP Alex Johnstone said: ‘For all the SNP’s complaining about the share of money to Scotland, in real terms their budget has not been cut.

‘With a struggling health service, Police Scotland troubles and local authorities repeatedly having to cut public services, the SNP has no right to blame Westminster. It’s the nationalists’ lack of financial savvy which i s driving our country into the ground.’

Scottish Labour public services spokesman Jackie Baillie said: ‘People will judge the SNP on their eight years in government in Scotland, where standards in our schools have been sl i pping and our NHS is struggling.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Westminster has slashed Scotland’s fiscal Budget by 8.6 per cent in real terms since 2010-11.’

‘Very difficult circumstances’ ‘Nationalists’ lack of savvy’

THE SNP is relentless in its attacks on so-called ‘austerity’, caricaturing efforts to repair the United Kingdom’ s damaged economy as unnecessary and cruel.

But the truth – as we report today – is that the Scottish Government’s budget is the same today, in real terms, as it was in 2009.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s story is that the SNP protects Scotland from decisions made by Westminster. In reality, it’ s Westminster that has protected the level of public spending in Scotland.

The Scottish Nationalists thrive on grievance, even when – as in the case of austerity – the facts don’t reflect the party’s rhetoric.

SNP politicians have repeated with such frequency the lie that Westminster has slashed Scottish budgets that it’s hardly surprising so many people appear willing to believe them.