MSPs at loggerheads over Holyrood Budget

Local MSPs are at loggerheads over Scottish Budget plans for the new year.

East Kilbride’s MSP Collette Stevenson believes it delivers an“inflation-busting” increase in NHS funding across Lanarkshire and fully funds the council tax freeze by increasing funding for South Lanarkshire Council by five per cent.

But Conservative MSP for Central Scotland Graham Simpson blasted the Budget as a“disaster”, insisting“taxpayers will pay the price of SNP failure”.

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison set out the Scottish Government’s priorities for the coming year in Holyrood.

As well as increasing funding to NHS frontline boards by over £550 million, a 4.3 per cent uplift, over £200 million will be provided to ensure every social care and early learning and childcare worker is paid £12 – a raise of over £2000 for full-time workers in Lanarkshire.

The government also promised to deliver over £140 million of additional investment in local services – increasing overall funding by six per cent, taking it to a record high of £14 billion.

Ms Stevenson said:“This Scottish Budget prioritises our NHS, public services and support for the most vulnerable households in East Kilbride.

“The SNP Government is determined to properly fund public services and remains committed to closing the attainment gap, alleviating poverty and meeting our ambitious net zero goals.

“The SNP is committed to Scotland’s values of equality, opportunity and community, and in spite of extremely challenging financial circumstances, the budget will support households and services in East Kilbride that need it most.”

However Graham Simpson MSP hit back, saying:“It [the Scottish Budget] has been slammed by just about everybody.

“Taxpayers are paying the price of SNP failure. Scotland is the highest taxed part of the UK and that will do nothing to attract people here. The SNP have also betrayed struggling businesses by ignoring their pleas to pass on the 75 per cent rates relief enjoyed by firms south of the border.

“On top of that, key public services have been brutally squeezed.”