Lib Dems would vote down Budget that contains indyref cash

Megan Bonar
BBC News

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader has said his party would vote down the Scottish government's upcoming Budget if it contains even a "penny" promoting independence.

The minority SNP administration needs some opposition MSPs to either back or abstain in the vote on its spending plans to get them passed.

Alex Cole-Hamilton confirmed talks had taken place about the price of Lib Dem support - but made it clear they would actively vote against any spending plans that promoted Scottish independence.

Finance secretary Shona Robison will deliver the Scottish government's Budget at Holyrood on Wednesday 4 December.

Speaking to the BBC Scotland's Sunday Show, Cole-Hamilton said the public had sent the SNP a "clear message" in the recent general election they are "done with the constitution".

He said: "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 added that his party believes in "moving forward together".

"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," he continued.

Pressed on whether Lib Dem MSPs might abstain, which would allow the Budget to pass despite containing money promoting independence, he said he would vote it down and "that is where we would be".

Will the Scottish Budget pass?

The SNP group in the Scottish Parliament has 62 MSP's, but in order for their budget to pass they need a majority of 65 MSP's to vote for it.

The spending plans are likely to be supported by Glasgow Shettleston MSP John Mason, who despite being expelled from the SNP has indicated he would continue to support the party.

It is unlikely the SNP could reach agreement with the Conservatives or Labour, and with only one MSP, Alba's support would be insufficient to get them over the line.

That means the support of the Scottish Greens or Scottish Lib Dems is necessary.

The Scottish Green party left a power-sharing deal with the government earlier this year.

They have said the government needs to re-earn their trust but they are against axing cash for independence.

According to campaign group Scotland in Union, the Scottish government has spent up to £3.5m on independence since the 2021 Holyrood elections.

That includes spending on papers, a now-axed independence minister and his staff as well as the failed court battle on whether the Scottish government is allowed to hold a constitutional referendum.

The Scottish Budget sets out Holyrood's tax and spending plans for the next financial year, which runs from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026.

The UK government has said its own Budget outlined last month would provide £1.5bn this financial year, external and a further £3.4bn next year for the Scottish government.

Economists at the Fraser of Allander Institute have said this is "likely to make the Scottish government’s job of balancing its budget significantly easier".

However, First Minister John Swinney has said his government has "difficult" decisions to make, and that the extra Treasury funding is not "nearly as much" as has been claimed.

A spokesperson for the Scottish government said the first minister's priorities were "ending child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and supporting the path to net zero".

“Ministers are committed to building as broad support as possible across Parliament in order to deliver the forthcoming budget," they added.

"Engagement with all parties is ongoing ahead of the draft budget being set out in the Scottish Parliament on 4 December."

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