Scottish Liberal Democrats Threaten to Reject Budget Over Independence Funding

The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has stated that his party intends to oppose the Scottish government’s forthcoming Budget if it allocates any funds, however minimal, towards promoting independence. The minority Scottish National Party (SNP) administration requires the support or abstention of some opposition Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) for its spending proposals to be approved. Alex Cole-Hamilton confirmed discussions regarding the terms of Liberal Democrat backing, but emphasized that his party would actively vote against any budget provisions that advanced Scottish independence. Finance Secretary Shona Robison is scheduled to present the Scottish government’s Budget at Holyrood on Wednesday 4 December. In an interview on BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show, Cole-Hamilton asserted that the public delivered a “clear message” to the SNP in the recent general election, indicating they are “done with the constitution”. He stated: “I don’t see a circumstance where any Liberal Democrat could vote for a budget that is clearly spending money on the constitution.” “I think that would be a massive misuse of public funds no matter how small.” “We need every penny available spent on our schools, on our GP surgeries, on the mental health crisis.” Cole-Hamilton further noted that his party advocates for “moving forward together”. He continued: “The SNP will have to go a long way to persuade us, that whilst they might delete things like any independence spending from their budget that they won’t just go back to their old ways of spending any political oxygen on the constitution.” When questioned about the possibility of Liberal Democrat MSPs abstaining, which would enable the Budget to pass even if it included funds for independence promotion, he affirmed his intention to vote against it, stating “that is where we would be”. The SNP parliamentary group in the Scottish Parliament comprises 62 MSPs; however, a majority of 65 MSPs is required for their budget to be approved. The proposed spending plans are anticipated to receive backing from Glasgow Shettleston MSP John Mason, who, despite his expulsion from the SNP, has indicated his ongoing support for the party. An agreement between the SNP and either the Conservatives or Labour is improbable, and with only one MSP, Alba’s endorsement would not be enough to secure passage. Consequently, the backing of either the Scottish Greens or the Scottish Liberal Democrats is essential. The Scottish Green party withdrew from a power-sharing agreement with the government earlier this year. They have stated that the government must regain their trust, but they oppose cutting funds designated for independence. Campaign group Scotland in Union reports that the Scottish government has allocated up to £3.5 million towards independence efforts since the 2021 Holyrood elections. This sum encompasses expenditures on documents, a former independence minister and their staff (a position now abolished), and the unsuccessful legal challenge concerning the Scottish government’s authority to conduct a constitutional referendum. The Scottish Budget outlines Holyrood’s taxation and expenditure proposals for the upcoming financial year, spanning from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. The UK government announced that its Budget, presented last month, would allocate £1.5 billion to the Scottish government this financial year and an additional £3.4 billion next year. Economists at the Fraser of Allander Institute have commented that this is “likely to make the Scottish government’s job of balancing its budget significantly easier”. Nevertheless, First Minister John Swinney has stated that his government faces “difficult” decisions and that the additional Treasury funding is not “nearly as much” as asserted. A spokesperson for the Scottish government indicated that the first minister’s primary objectives include “ending child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and supporting the path to net zero”. They added: “Ministers are committed to building as broad support as possible across Parliament in order to deliver the forthcoming budget.” “Engagement with all parties is ongoing ahead of the draft budget being set out in the Scottish Parliament on 4 December.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.