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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Scots budget to be fast-tracked | Scots budget to be fast-tracked |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A new Scottish budget is to be fast-tracked through parliament, in the wake of its rejection by MSPs. | A new Scottish budget is to be fast-tracked through parliament, in the wake of its rejection by MSPs. |
| Labour, the Lib Dems and the Greens combined to vote down the £33bn spending plans on Wednesday. | |
| The main Holyrood parties are agreeing to re-run the budget between now and February 11. | |
| Meanwhile, talks have been continuing between the minority SNP government and opposition parties to win enough support to pass the spending. | Meanwhile, talks have been continuing between the minority SNP government and opposition parties to win enough support to pass the spending. |
| The Scottish Government would resign if the budget failed a second time, which would lead to a snap election if parliament found itself unable to establish a new administration. | The Scottish Government would resign if the budget failed a second time, which would lead to a snap election if parliament found itself unable to establish a new administration. |
| The government have got to get a budget through in short order, but we can certainly make progress if we get round the table Tavish ScottScottish Lib Dem leader | The government have got to get a budget through in short order, but we can certainly make progress if we get round the table Tavish ScottScottish Lib Dem leader |
| In the wake of the budget defeat, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott hinted he might be prepared to drop his party's demand for a 2p income tax cut, previously rejected by ministers. | In the wake of the budget defeat, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott hinted he might be prepared to drop his party's demand for a 2p income tax cut, previously rejected by ministers. |
| The move was welcomed by Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney, who said he was hopeful the deadlock could be broken. | The move was welcomed by Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney, who said he was hopeful the deadlock could be broken. |
| Mr Scott, who said he did not believe an election was on the cards, told BBC Scotland: "We need to move forward and build a better budget for Scotland. I recognise the situation we are now in." | Mr Scott, who said he did not believe an election was on the cards, told BBC Scotland: "We need to move forward and build a better budget for Scotland. I recognise the situation we are now in." |
| Challenged on the income tax cut, the Lib Dem leader replied: "Obviously we'd like to make that argument, but we want to be constructive about this - we are where we are now. | Challenged on the income tax cut, the Lib Dem leader 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." Q&A: Scottish budget rejection | "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." Q&A: Scottish budget rejection |
| Mr Swinney said he did not believe there was a big gulf between what the government and opposition parties wanted, and pledged to "constructively engage" with them. | Mr Swinney said he did not believe there was a big gulf between what the government and opposition parties wanted, and pledged to "constructively engage" with them. |
| He said: "We are probably talking about a dispute around how we spend £100m out of a £33bn budget. | 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." | "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." |
| Mr Swinney added: "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." | Mr Swinney added: "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." |
| Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray told BBC Scotland it was not too late to sort a budget out, adding: "There is time for the SNP to bring a budget which commands the support of the parliament. That was always the case." | Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray told BBC Scotland it was not too late to sort a budget out, adding: "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 the casting vote of Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson, after a 64-64 tie. | The 2009-10 budget fell 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. |
| Despite ministers offering last-minute concessions, talks between the SNP and the opposing parties broke down just before the 1700 GMT vote on Wednesday evening. | Despite ministers offering last-minute concessions, talks between the SNP and the opposing parties broke down just before the 1700 GMT vote on Wednesday evening. |
| Mr Salmond is prepared to resubmit the budget | Mr Salmond is prepared to resubmit the budget |
| Mr Salmond said the Budget Bill had already been resubmitted, while accepting that, if the government's budget had no likelihood of being approved "at some stage . . . it can't be a government". | Mr Salmond said the Budget Bill had already been resubmitted, while accepting that, if the government's budget had no likelihood of being approved "at some stage . . . it can't be a government". |
| "At some stage the people of Scotland, looking in on this process, will want to have their say," he continued. | "At some stage the people of Scotland, looking in on this process, will want to have their say," he 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. |