Scottish Budget
In all the hot air and sanctimonious posturing that surrounded the vote, I think that a closer look at the role of the participants is informative.
What unholy alliances!
The threat by Alex Salmond to throw the toys of out the pram and call an election is just another negotiating tactic, as I don't think that any of the parties actually wants an election - probably as it will just result in another hung parliament, and the whole process will start all over again.
The budget will move closer to being passed today; if the negotiations with the Greens demonstrate any degree of maturity by the Parties.
If it doesn't get through today, then it will get through in February - when MSPs will have to give up a week of their holidays* - to discuss the Budget.
I think that the SNP Budget as proposed is (broadly) better than the amendments proposed by the opposition parties, but with the horse-trading continuing we are likely to end up with a curate's egg.
However, I predict that the deal with the Tories will come back to haunt the SNP.
SNP, Tories & Margo MacDonald
-v-
Labour, Lib Dems & Greens
-v-
Labour, Lib Dems & Greens
What unholy alliances!
The threat by Alex Salmond to throw the toys of out the pram and call an election is just another negotiating tactic, as I don't think that any of the parties actually wants an election - probably as it will just result in another hung parliament, and the whole process will start all over again.
The budget will move closer to being passed today; if the negotiations with the Greens demonstrate any degree of maturity by the Parties.
If it doesn't get through today, then it will get through in February - when MSPs will have to give up a week of their holidays* - to discuss the Budget.
I think that the SNP Budget as proposed is (broadly) better than the amendments proposed by the opposition parties, but with the horse-trading continuing we are likely to end up with a curate's egg.
However, I predict that the deal with the Tories will come back to haunt the SNP.
4 comments:
Angus,
You're right. The alliance between the Tories & SNP is almost as an unholy alliance as the the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact agreement was. It shows us that all political parties will sell their souls for a bit of the action. If not, how can both parties defend the indefensible? One party wants to destroy the Union and the other wants to keep it. Unlikely bedfellows one would have to agree.
An alliance between the Conservatives and SNP isn't surprising. If you do the maths at the UK level, they could very well hold the balance of power at the next UK general election - which has to be held at the latest well within 18 months.
So it's likely that these two parties do have, at least, some kind of understanding. Could also see a scenario where many Tories would be quietly in favour of Scottish Independence; remove Alba and Wales out of the maths and Labour would find it difficult to become the largest party at Westminster.
The prospect of both a UK and a Scottish election in the next 18 months, with the bile and distraction they will create, is a dismaying one.
Heard the Beach Buoy slagging of the Labour Party for not backing the budget. No word of the Libs or the Greens.
Another wee question for him as well how often did our MP the Barra Bhouy vote with the Labour Government.
Oh sorry he was in Barra when the last budget vote took place but still had the cheek to slag it off.
Is not the SNP a more centre version of the Tories? It cerrtainly has its own odd bed fellows of left wing anti Thatcherite Labour and right wing anti anyone but particularly those south of the border (less the 6 Million Scots that live there).
I often think if the English created a party called Nationalist they would derided as racist and zenapobic so why should unioniist parties from either the left or right in Scotland tolerate the SNP?
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