Robison says Labour need to decide what side they are on ahead of Budget vote

Finance Secretary Shona Robison has urged Labour to stop standing on the “political sidelines” and back the Scottish Government’s Budget to help make progress for Scotland.

Ms Robison said the “key dividing line” in Scottish politics is between parties who want to get things done and parties who do not.

The Scottish Greens and the Scottish Liberal Democrats have reached separate deals to back the Budget while Alba MSP Ash Regan has also confirmed she will vote for it, saying she has secured her party’s “first ever budget agreement”.

This means the minority SNP government at Holyrood is now certain its tax and spending package for next year will be passed.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has already confirmed his MSPs will abstain in February’s Budget votes, with only the Scottish Tories now likely to vote against the Government.

Speaking ahead of the Stage One vote on Tuesday, Ms Robison called on Scottish Labour to rethink its position.

She said: “The key dividing line in this Parliament is now between parties who want to get things done and make progress for Scotland – and parties who don’t.

“We know where the Tories stand – they have no interest in getting things done.

“But Labour are currently abstaining – and they need to decide what side they are on. Do they want to stand up for the NHS or do they want to stand with the Tories?

“Parties in the Parliament have managed to come together to have sensible, grown-up discussions and come to agreements that make a difference to the lives of the people of Scotland. Meanwhile, Labour find themselves standing with the Tories on the political sidelines.

“This Budget will provide record funding for our health service, ensuring we can deliver 150,000 additional appointments every year and make it easier for people to see their GP.

“Parliament has a chance to unite behind our plans to improve the NHS – and Labour will be haunted every day until 2026 if they choose to stand with the Tories rather than standing with the health service.”

Scottish Labour finance spokesman Michael Marra said: “A UK Labour budget decisively ended austerity and delivered the largest budget settlement for Scotland in the history of devolution, boosting funding by £5.2 billion.

“After 14 years of Tory chaos and cuts, this funding should be transformative, but the fact is our public services will continue to suffer from the consequences of SNP incompetence.

“With public services at breaking point and one in six Scots on an NHS waiting list – this SNP Government is failing.

“This Budget was always going to pass, but what is clear is that it will not deliver the change in direction Scotland really needs.

“The SNP have been passing budgets for almost 18 years and things have only got worse.

“Because the brutal truth every Scot knows is that they can’t deliver and they have no plan for change.

“So while we won’t stand in the way of Labour’s £5.2 billion reaching the frontline, we’ve seen nothing from the SNP that shows they’ll end a culture of sticking plasters and wasteful mismanagement.

“Scotland deserves better.”

The Scottish Conservatives have been asked for comment.