SNP raise public service fears if budget delayed

Blackford voices concerns in wake of Javid resignation

Further delays to the UK Budget would cause “enormous uncertainty” for the country’s public services, the SNP said.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps yesterday said UK ministers had still not been told whether the budget would go ahead on March 11 as planned.

The timetable has been thrown into doubt after Sajid Javid’s resignation as chancellor during last week’s Cabinet reshuffle.

The date for new chancellor Rishi

Sunak’s inaugural budget is unlikely to be confirmed until later in the week, Mr Shapps told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday.

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said: “The UK Government’s approach to the budget has already forced the Scottish Government to set their budget in the dark.

“The prospect of even further delay is simply unthinkable and would cause enormous uncertainty for Scottish public services.”

The Scottish budget was “uniquely” timed this year as a result of the alreadydelayed Westminster proposals not being unveiled as normal.

Due to the general election in December an autumn budget was not set, leading Scotland’s then-finance secretary Derek Mackay to claim the Scottish Government was having to set its tax and spend plans “in the dark”.

Mr Mackay however resigned in disgrace the night before he was due to unveil the government’s budget to Holyrood, after The Sun revealed he had bombarded a 16-year-old boy with text messages, calling him “cute”.

Junior minister Kate Forbes was forced to step up on the morning the budget was unveiled, as well as for subsequent committee grillings.

Ms Forbes presented the government’s plans to parliament on February 6 but her proposals are still dependent on funding coming from Westminster through Barnett consequentials.

The Scottish Government was forced to use promises made in the Conservative manifesto to attempt predictions about how much is coming to Scotland, Ms Forbes revealed during her budget announcement.

Ms Forbes told parliament she hoped to have the budget passed by March 5, a week ahead of the proposed Westminster budget day.

Picture: BBC/PA. Grant Shapps said UK ministers had not been told if the UK Budget would go ahead on March 11.