David Maddox: FMQs - the budget recriminations continue
No surprises, FMQs has been dominated by yesterday's events and the defeat of the Scottish Government's budget. Labour leader Iain Gray went on the attack and said that there was no sign of First Minister Alex Salmond (pictured) and the SNP losing the "hubris and arrogance" that brought them to this position.
But Mr Gray was himself under severe fire for leading the no vote, especially after he seemed to suggest that Scotland could wait until June for a new budget after the new financial year has started.
A furious First Minister Alex Salmond, his jowels rippling withe rage, said the £1.8 billion lost in the budget would equate to 35,000 jobs. Tory leader Annabel Goldie went on to accuse Labour of trying to "stage a bloodless coup to esconse Iain Gray as First Minister."
But, interestingly, given my posting below, the exchanges between Mr Salmond and Lib Dem leader Tavish Scott were in tone, at least, very conciliatory. None of the personal animosity of the Scottish Inter Faith Council and the truth inquiry of latter weeks. Mr Salmond pointed out that the Lib Dems' (now dropped) 2p income tax cut would lead to a net loss of 600 jobs and had no majority across the chamber even if the SNP were "miraculously" converted to it.
As mentioned earlier, the two are set to have talks. There could be some interesting developments.
You can read all the in depth analysis and Rab McNeil's sketch in tomorrow's Scotsman.
Labels: Annabel Goldie, budget, David Maddox, FMQs, Iain Gray, Tavish Scott









0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home