The upcoming Scottish Budget debate promises to be a heated clash between the SNP and Labour parties as they vie for control of the political narrative.
January 6th will see the two contenders to be First Minister at the 2026 Holyrood election try to set the terms of political debate. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will use a state-of-the-nation address to blame the SNP for crumbling services and set out an alternative. First Minister John Swinney’s message will be more immediate. He will tell rival parties - Labour in particular - to vote for his Budget or face the electoral consequences.
The SNP leader's December spending plans include restoring universal Winter Fuel Payments, starting the abolition of the two child benefit cap and pouring extra cash into the NHS. Sarwar, whose party is instinctively opposed to every SNP Budget, faces one of the trickiest moments of his leadership in deciding which way to go. But while the Budget contains difficulties for Sarwar - Swinney is using UK Government funding to undo bad Westminster policies - the correct course of action is staring at him. Swinney’s Budget has only been made possible by a UK Labour Government that is handing billions of pounds extra to Holyrood. Without Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ revenue-raising decisions, there would be no new investment for the NHS or the resources to scrap her own policy on WFP. Scottish Labour should claim credit for the Budget measures and either vote for the plan or abstain. Swinney’s draft Budget laid out the spending allocations for each portfolio - a set of decisions Labour cannot be against in principle. They could support the plan and quickly pivot to the SNP’s weak spot of delivery. As surveys show, Scots have become exasperated with the SNP Government over their inability to deliver on voter priorities. The educational attainment gap remains wide and the backlog of NHS treatments is a national scandal. The key issue about the Budget is not about extra funding, which everyone on the centre-left should welcome, but the outcomes linked to the spendin
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John Swinney says SNP Budget is “albatross” around Scottish Labour’s neckThe First Minister made the claim after the SNP Government promised to scrap Labour's two child benefit cap.
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SNP's Budget Puts Labour in a Political BindScottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar faces a difficult decision regarding the SNP's December budget, which includes funding for the NHS, Winter Fuel Payments, and the abolition of the two-child benefit cap. While the budget benefits from UK Labour's revenue-raising policies, Sarwar's party is traditionally opposed to SNP budgets. The article argues that Labour should either vote for or abstain on the budget, emphasizing the positive impacts of the spending while highlighting the SNP's track record of underperformance in areas like education and healthcare.
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Scottish Labour losing most support to SNP among voters aged over-55Keir Starmer's Government has faced a backlash among older voters since it was announced the Winter Fuel Payment would become means-tested.
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Scottish Labour Loses Support to SNP Over Winter Fuel PaymentA poll shows a significant shift in voting intentions among older Scots, with Labour support declining and the SNP gaining ground. The backlash against the UK Government's means-tested Winter Fuel Payment appears to be driving this trend.
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