Yousaf warned Scottish Budget ‘most devastating’ in history of devolution

The Scottish Government’s Budget has been branded the “most devastating in the history of devolution” as Scottish Labour took aim at the First Minister’s record.

In the final First Minister’s Questions of 2023, Humza Yousaf was told his first year in the top job would be remembered for “broken” policies.

In a fiery exchange, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said Mr Yousaf is “not a serious politician”, as he criticised NHS performance figures which show more than 425,000 people waited over the four-hour target in accident and emergency departments this year.

Mr Sarwar also condemned the Budget outlined on Tuesday, described it as “out of touch” after the affordable housing fund was cut by around £200 million and mental health services were handed a “real-terms cut”.

The Budget also included plans for a new “advanced” 45% tax band for those earning between £75,000 and £125,140, while the top rate of tax for those earning above that was increased to 48%.

The tax changes aim to help plug a £1.5 billion funding shortfall, with Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison estimating around £80 million will be generated by the move.

Workers earning more than £28,850 already pay more tax than those in the rest of the UK, while those under this threshold pay slightly less than their counterparts south of the border.

Mr Sarwar told Mr Yousaf: “This is the most devastating Budget in the history of devolution.

“The progressive tax rise he talks about is going to raise £82 million. That would buy you a fifth of an SNP ferry that hasn’t even sailed yet.

“He is not a serious politician. The First Minister is so out of touch he thinks if you earn £29,000 you should pay more tax in Scotland than in the rest of the UK.

“These are not the people with the broadest shoulders, but they are being forced to pay the price for his failures in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.

“2023 will be remembered as the year when the SNP was found out.

“They have broken the public’s trust and they seem to have broken their party in the process.”

Responding, Mr Yousaf acknowledged the “challenges” of the Budget, but said Mr Sarwar will be remembered for saying “one thing one day, and then another thing another day because we know that Anas Sarwar is not a serious politician”.

He added: “He doesn’t think for himself, he waits until he gets the memo from head office – and I don’t know if Anas Sarwar has sent his letter to Santa but if not, he should ask for a backbone.”

The First Minister referenced Mr Sarwar’s 2017 Scottish Labour leadership race where he backed a 50p rate for earners on more than £100,000.