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| MSPs agree to pass Scots budget | MSPs agree to pass Scots budget |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The Scottish Government's budget has been passed by parliament, after ministers pulled several last-minute rabbits out of the hat. | The Scottish Government's budget has been passed by parliament, after ministers pulled several last-minute rabbits out of the hat. |
| The SNP's £30bn plans were backed by the Tories, after the minority administration agreed to boost business rate cuts and cash for bus operators. | The SNP's £30bn plans were backed by the Tories, after the minority administration agreed to boost business rate cuts and cash for bus operators. |
| Labour and the Lib Dems criticised a threat by First Minister Alex Salmond to quit if the budget failed. | Labour and the Lib Dems criticised a threat by First Minister Alex Salmond to quit if the budget failed. |
| The two parties, and the Greens, abstained in the crunch vote. | |
| Ministers also agreed to boost police recruitment and give more cash to fight climate change. | Ministers also agreed to boost police recruitment and give more cash to fight climate change. |
| Finance Secretary John Swinney said his government had worked hard to achieve consensus, telling parliament: "This is a budget for all of Scotland, proposed by a government that provides leadership for all of Scotland, and considered by a parliament that must speak for all of Scotland. | Finance Secretary John Swinney said his government had worked hard to achieve consensus, telling parliament: "This is a budget for all of Scotland, proposed by a government that provides leadership for all of Scotland, and considered by a parliament that must speak for all of Scotland. |
| Mr Swinney indeed has done a wonderful job buying off the Tories Tavish ScottLiberal Democrat finance spokesman | |
| "This budget will create a stronger, more confident and prosperous nation - and that is what the people of Scotland deserve." | "This budget will create a stronger, more confident and prosperous nation - and that is what the people of Scotland deserve." |
| The spending plans - which will also offer cash to local authorities to freeze council tax - will now see a total of 1,000 new police officers recruited by March 2011 - an increase of 500 - and an extra £4.3m will be pumped into the Climate Challenge Fund. | The spending plans - which will also offer cash to local authorities to freeze council tax - will now see a total of 1,000 new police officers recruited by March 2011 - an increase of 500 - and an extra £4.3m will be pumped into the Climate Challenge Fund. |
| Mr Swinney also announced that, from April next year, business rates would be abolished for up to 120,000 small businesses and a further 30,000 would see rate cuts of between 25% and 50%. | Mr Swinney also announced that, from April next year, business rates would be abolished for up to 120,000 small businesses and a further 30,000 would see rate cuts of between 25% and 50%. |
| Funding to protect bus fares and services, he said, would also receive an extra £4m in 2008-09. | |
| Hitting out at the budget, Labour's finance spokesman Iain Gray said councils had not been given enough cash to provide vital services, adding that his party would continue to press for the budget to be directed to "social justice". | |
| 'Landmark strop' | |
| He told MSPs of the "unedifying pantomime of a first minister threatening resignation from behind the safety of deals already done". | |
| "An act of vacuous bravado which sums up his government's approach not just to the budget, but to government in general," he said. | |
| Tavish Scott, the Liberal Democrat finance spokesman, branded the spending plans a "Con-Nat budget", while describing Mr Salmond's resignation threat a "landmark strop". | |
| Mr Scott said: "Mr Swinney indeed has done a wonderful job buying off the Tories and buying them on the cheap," he said. | |
| "It's akin to Northern Rock. Mr Swinney has done a Darling and nationalised a private entity in all but a different name." |