Labour seek 'no confidence' vote on draft Scottish budget
The party will say the proposals don't protect public services in Scotland
Labour is to force a vote of “no confidence” in the draft Scottish budget.
The party is expected to say the draft budget does not protect public services in Scotland, but delivers an effective £700 million cut to lifeline local services.
Finance Minister Derek Mackay said councils could mitigate these cuts by raising council tax by 3%.
However, Scottish Labour believes this will only raise additional revenue worth £77 million - just over 10% of the £700 million shortfall.
It also says the draft budget “provides no additional funding” to lift the pay of local government staff and will use debating time at Holyrood this week to force a “no confidence” vote.
Finance spokesman James Kelly said: “Derek Mackay's budget as it stands does not halt austerity in Scotland, and will just mean more cuts to hard-pressed public services.
“It is not a spending plan that Labour can support - so we will force a vote of no confidence in it later this week.
“Councils deliver key services that people rely on - from our schools and housing, to roads and social care. Yet every single year they bear the brunt of SNP cuts in the budget - £1.5 billion since 2011 alone. It is simply unsustainable.
“Labour would take a different approach; protecting funding for lifeline services and giving councils the powers they need to raise additional revenues and grow the local economy.
“The SNP budget tinkers around the edges instead of delivering the real change Scotland needs - and the impact will be felt in lifeline local services.”
Patrick Harvie MSP, finance spokesman for the Scottish Greens, said: “We agree that the budget as currently drafted is unsupportable, but pushing for this vote before Parliament has even done its scrutiny job will not achieve the necessary changes.
“It's just another example of Labour performing their outrage while doing nothing to actually achieve a positive change."