The Scottish government's £30bn budget plan will face its most crucial test to date when MSPs are asked to vote on whether to back it in principle.
The Scottish Government's £30bn budget plans have narrowly passed their first parliamentary hurdle despite Lib Dem and Labour efforts to scupper them.
Ministers said they were confident Holyrood would endorse the spending package, which will fund key services and deliver a council tax freeze.
The proposals were backed in principle by 64 votes to 62, with Tory suport. The two Green MSPs choose to abstain.
However, opposition parties remain to be convinced on the plans.
Parliament also demanded that ministers try to find money for more police recruitment and speedier cuts in business rates.
Labour and the Liberal Democrats said the spending plans fell well short of Scotland's needs.
The plans will now go forward to the next stage of scrutiny.
The Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee, which is scrutinising the budget, has urged ministers to amend the plans, to recruit more police officers and speed up business rate cuts.
The suggestions, put forward by the Tories, could pave the way for a deal to endorse the minority government's proposals.
Even if MSPs back the plans later, the budget still faces a further two stages of parliamentary scrutiny before the final vote.
The Conservatives said they may back the budget at the first hurdle - but stressed that did not mean they were yet signed up for the final package.
