Budget “remains a terrible deal for Moray” says MSP
Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has responded to today’s Scottish budget deal between the SNP and the Scottish Greens.
The Conservative MSP was commenting following the changes made to December’s draft budget which the SNP and Greens have agreed, allowing the budget to pass its first stage in the Scottish Parliament.
Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP said:
“The budget remains a terrible deal for Moray. While the Scottish Government’s budget is increasing, Moray’s budget will still be sliced. These announcements will barely make a dent in the cuts that threaten local public services.
“The SNP have broken their own manifesto promise by increasing the cap on council tax rises in a clear attempt to shift responsibility for cuts from Holyrood to their SNP colleagues on Moray Council; colleagues they have hung out to dry.
“Meanwhile, the Scottish Greens have been played like a fiddle. They’ve willingly accepted vague promises of talks on council tax reform, but with actual action ruled out before the next Holyrood elections in 2021.
“The SNP are not just letting down Moray, they’re letting down their own SNP councillors. Moray’s SNP representatives must now put Moray’s interests first and make their opposition to these SNP cuts from Edinburgh clear.”
