​Silent night on budget from SNP councillors - Kevin Lang

​Happy New Year! Now, don’t get me wrong and, on this of all days, I want to be chirpy and upbeat. I want to be super optimistic about 2024 and tell you how great this year will be.

Cllr Kevin Lang (Lib Dem)

But, after last month’s doomsday budget from the SNP Scottish Government, I’m finding that pretty tough.

Taxes up, spending on a host of public services down. The SNP has had less cheer to offer than the Reverend IM Jolly on a BBC New Year special.

Now, you’d expect someone like me to have a good moan about the Scottish Government. But don’t take my word for it, look at what some of the SNP’s own rank and file have said.

Deputy First Minister Shona Robison outlines the draft budget for 2024-25

The SNP head of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities said the budget would “leave council services at breaking point”.

Another SNP councillor in the Highlands, who specialises in finance said, “this is not a good budget for our communities. This is a budget which will mean job losses”. For a party famed for its discipline, it’s been damning stuff.

So, when SNP figures across Scotland are speaking out, where have Edinburgh’s SNP councillors been? Well, it seems the SNP group in Edinburgh still think it’s the build up to Christmas and are enjoying one sustained rendition of ‘silent night’. Not a peep from the SNP Group Leader.

The former SNP Housing Convener had more to say about the House of Lords than her party’s savage cuts to the social homes budget.

Edinburgh’s SNP finance spokesperson showed her fury by tweeting a fawning photo of the First Minister, with the added devastating commentary of…three clapping emojis.

Put simply, when other SNP councillors are speaking out, SNP councillors in Edinburgh have wallowed in North Korean style levels of party loyalty.

So, as we start 2024, I ask SNP councillors to try one New Year’s resolution – put your city before your party. Because their own party colleagues in government have appeared less bothered about Hogmanay and more obsessed with ‘hog the money’.

Worst of all, it will the most vulnerable in our city who suffer the most.

Kevin Lang is the leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Edinburgh Council and Councillor for Almond ward