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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Lib Dems offer new budget support | Lib Dems offer new budget support |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| The Liberal Democrats want discussions with the Scottish Government about what concessions might gain their support for a revised budget. | The Liberal Democrats want discussions with the Scottish Government about what concessions might gain their support for a revised budget. |
| Party leader Tavish Scott has hinted he might be prepared to drop his party's demand for a 2p cut in income tax. | Party leader Tavish Scott has hinted he might be prepared to drop his party's demand for a 2p cut in income tax. |
| His comments were welcomed by Finance Secretary John Swinney, who said he was hopeful the deadlock could be resolved. | |
| Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens combined to vote down the £33bn budget proposals on Wednesday. | Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens combined to vote down the £33bn budget proposals on Wednesday. |
| The minority SNP government will seek to resume talks with rival parties in an attempt to find common ground. | The minority SNP government will seek to resume talks with rival parties in an attempt to find common ground. |
| We can certainly make progress if we get round the table and have a real discussion Tavish ScottScottish Lib Dem leader | |
| SNP ministers hope to reach a deal to have a new budget adopted in February. | SNP ministers hope to reach a deal to have a new budget adopted in February. |
| Mr Scott told BBC Radio Scotland: "We need to move forward and build a better budget for Scotland. | Mr Scott told BBC Radio Scotland: "We need to move forward and build a better budget for Scotland. |
| "I recognise the situation we are now in. | "I recognise the situation we are now in. |
| He was asked whether he could support a budget not including the Liberal Democrats demand for a 2p tax cut. | He was asked whether he could support a budget not including the Liberal Democrats demand for a 2p tax cut. |
| Mr Scott replied: "Obviously we'd like to make that argument, but we want to be constructive about this - we are where we are now. | Mr Scott replied: "Obviously we'd like to make that argument, but we want to be constructive about this - we are where we are now. |
| "The government have got to get a budget through in short order, but we can certainly make progress if we get round the table and have a real discussion about finding a way to make this budget respond to the challenges this country faces." | "The government have got to get a budget through in short order, but we can certainly make progress if we get round the table and have a real discussion about finding a way to make this budget respond to the challenges this country faces." |
| 'Very helpful' | |
| Mr Swinney said he did not believe there was a big gulf between what the government wanted, and what opposition parties wanted, and pledged to "constructively engage" with all other parties in a bid to resolve the deadlock as quickly as possible. | |
| He said: "We are probably talking about a dispute around how we spend £100m out of a £33bn budget. | |
| "Some of the more radical changes to public expenditure that Tavish Scott was putting forward, which would have seen us reducing public expenditure by £800m to afford a 2p tax cut, is a budget proposal that I know confidently I could never have got through parliament because Labour, the Conservatives and the Greens were opposed to it. | |
| "I thought the tone of Mr Scott's interview this morning was very helpful in that respect, that we get into a space where we are actually focusing on resolving what are the issues of dispute and allow us to put in place a budget that meets the needs of the people of Scotland." | |
| Q&A: Scottish budget rejection | |
| First Minister Alex Salmond has said he would not rule out an election if a second attempt to get the budget through was rejected. | |
| But Mr Scott said he did not believe an election was on the cards: "It would be important to recognise that the first minister is not the prime minister, nor is Alex Salmond the Queen. | |
| "In our parliamentary system there can be a period of time before another first minister is chosen. | "In our parliamentary system there can be a period of time before another first minister is chosen. |
| "But I don't think any of that will happen. I think it's all fantasy politics and what we should get on with is sorting out a budget for Scotland." | "But I don't think any of that will happen. I think it's all fantasy politics and what we should get on with is sorting out a budget for Scotland." |
| Labour's Iain Gray told BBC Scotland it was not too late to sort a budget out: "There is time for the SNP to bring a budget which commands the support of the parliament. | |
| "That was always the case." | |
| Last-minute concessions | Last-minute concessions |
| The 2009-10 budget fell on Wednesday evening on the casting vote of Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson, after a 64-64 tie. | The 2009-10 budget fell on Wednesday evening on the casting vote of Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson, after a 64-64 tie. |
| The presiding officer said he was required by convention to support the status quo. | The presiding officer said he was required by convention to support the status quo. |
| The Conservatives and independent MSP Margo MacDonald voted for the spending plans. | The Conservatives and independent MSP Margo MacDonald voted for the spending plans. |
| But despite ministers offering last-minute concessions, talks between the SNP and the opposing parties broke down just before the vote on Wednesday evening. | But despite ministers offering last-minute concessions, talks between the SNP and the opposing parties broke down just before the vote on Wednesday evening. |
| MSPs could now be asked to vote on a new budget on 19 February, although the timetable could be speeded up with the backing of other parties. | MSPs could now be asked to vote on a new budget on 19 February, although the timetable could be speeded up with the backing of other parties. |
| Mr Salmond is prepared to resubmit the budget | |
| The first minister said the Budget Bill would be resubmitted. | The first minister said the Budget Bill would be resubmitted. |
| Mr Salmond said: "Given the circumstances we should try again and we are prepared to do that. | Mr Salmond said: "Given the circumstances we should try again and we are prepared to do that. |
| "We have already resubmitted it through the budget process and recommended a timetable which will bring it to decision in mid-February if MSPs give up the first week of their February holiday, which I think would be a good idea under the circumstances." | "We have already resubmitted it through the budget process and recommended a timetable which will bring it to decision in mid-February if MSPs give up the first week of their February holiday, which I think would be a good idea under the circumstances." |
| However, he accepted that if the government's budget has no likelihood of being approved "at some stage... it can't be a government." | However, he accepted that if the government's budget has no likelihood of being approved "at some stage... it can't be a government." |
| "And at some stage the people of Scotland, looking in on this process, will want to have their say," Mr Salmond continued. | "And at some stage the people of Scotland, looking in on this process, will want to have their say," Mr Salmond continued. |
| "Under those circumstances, if there was a deadlock or a stalemate, if the parliamentary processes were exhausted, then surely it would be time to take our case to the country." | "Under those circumstances, if there was a deadlock or a stalemate, if the parliamentary processes were exhausted, then surely it would be time to take our case to the country." |
| If Mr Salmond quit as first minister, MSPs would have 28 days to appoint a successor before a general election was called. | If Mr Salmond quit as first minister, MSPs would have 28 days to appoint a successor before a general election was called. |