Labour will not block the Scottish Government’s Holyrood budget, says Sarwar

Scottish Labour will not block the Scottish Government’s budget, the party’s leader has said, but he raised the spectre of emergency changes if they win May’s election.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison is due to lay out her Government’s tax and spending plans on Tuesday.

But before the document has been published, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said his party will not oppose the plans.

Speaking to ITV Border, he said: “We’re not going to make the budget fall.

“But the key point here is that whenever the budget has passed and whatever has passed, it’s actually for any new government that’s elected after May to set a direction or a different direction in our country.

“We’re going to keep every option on the table for what we choose to do after the election in May so we can have that new direction in Scotland.

“That’s fundamentally the game-changer.”

Pressed on what he meant about the options a potential Scottish Labour government could pursue, Mr Sarwar said: “We will look at what comes in the budget, but we will reserve the right to look at whether emergency provisions are needed or an alternative budget, or an emergency budget is needed after the election in May to meet the aspirations and the needs of the people of Scotland.”

Responding to the comments, Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay said: “Anas Sarwar’s astonishing decision to give a free pass to the SNP budget, which he hasn’t even seen, confirms how weak Labour are.

“John Swinney will be delighted.

“The Scottish Conservatives are the only party that can be trusted to stand up to the SNP and the other left-wing parties at Holyrood who all want to inflict high taxes on hard-working Scots in order to fund an out-of-control benefits bill.”

Ms Robison said: “I am keen to build a broad consensus across Parliament for our budget.

“I would hope that Anas Sarwar and all MSPs would be able to actively vote for the budget I bring to Parliament next week – which will deliver on the priorities of the people of Scotland, invest in our NHS and support people with the cost of living.”