Scotland needs a budget fit for people and planet - Lorna Slater

Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater

The process will begin this week when the Labour government in Westminster sets out its spending plans, which will have big implications for Scotland. I don’t think many of us expect to see any drastic change or a move away from the austerity politics and cuts that have done such damage.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves could impose taxes on the super-rich and reverse her decision to cut Winter Fuel Payments and plunge pensioners into poverty, but more likely is that she will tell us times are tough and that normal people and families must dig deep to fill the supposed budgetary black holes.

The decisions made by the Westminster government will provide a lot of the backdrop for negotiations at Holyrood as MSPs decide on Scotland’s budget for the next 12 months.

First Minister John Swinney

If Labour chooses to offer more funding it will give John Swinney and his government a far greater freedom to invest in services and start reversing some of the damage that has been done.

The SNP government operates as a minority in parliament now and this means they must negotiate with other parties to agree a budget. My Scottish Greens colleagues and I have successfully worked with the SNP to negotiate budgets over recent years, both in and out of government and are prepared to work constructively again.

If they want our support then they will have to work with us and present a budget that tackles inequality and fast tracks our efforts to cut carbon emissions. That means using the progressive tax powers at their disposal, reversing the cuts they have made to climate spending since the Greens left government and ensuring there is no reduction to council funding.

We will support a budget that revitalises Scotland’s towns and cities, keeping pounds in people’s pockets whilst improving parks, pathways and streets. It must be a budget that restores nature and supports people in making the greener choices they’ve long wanted to make but were restricted by cost. People want to save the planet, we need to ensure they can afford to do so.

Without fundamental change from Westminster it will be difficult, but Scotland has the powers, ability and resources to do so much more to help. The next budget could play a crucial role in cutting pollution and tackling inequality. What we need now is the political will to make the changes we desperately need.