SNP Government can't blame Westminster for problems and then underspend budget by £1bn
"The SNP government needs to stop playing games and start using the powers and resources they have to change lives."
The SNP government has accused Labour of continuing down the path of austerity and short-changing Scots.
Ministers have claimed Keir Starmer’s Government has not funded them properly and held them responsible for social ills.
But the Scottish Government’s own accounts paint a confusing story.
Despite receiving a record funding deal from Starmer, the SNP have under spent their budget by £1billion.
Underspends are not intrinsically a bad thing, but £1billion is a lot of money given the crisis in public services.
Around one in six Scots are on an NHS waiting list and poverty is stubbornly high.
Classroom inequality remains a massive problem and council funding has been cut to the bone.
Homelessness is at outrageous levels and the government admits we have a housing emergency.
Ministers would not have fixed these problems with £1billion, but it could have made a dent in NHS waiting lists or provided relief to poorer families.
The fact is the SNP government cannot blame Westminster for society’s problems and then fail to spend such a large sum of money.
The underspend also jars with Swinney’s claim that we have reached the “limits” of devolution.
This was a dubious claim given that council tax remains in force and public services are unreformed – two areas where Holyrood is in charge.
His claim also looks ropey now that a big amount of money has gone unspent.
The SNP government needs to stop playing games and start using the powers and resources they have to change lives.
End bonfire chaos
Police have seized a haul of dodgy fireworks ahead of Bonfire Night.
And they have urged young people not to get involved in the kind of chaos and disorder which has become a regular feature on November 5.
The warning from Police Scotland is welcome and we’re sure they will be out in force next Wednesday.
Young people tempted to take part in violent disorder must also be aware that they could end up in a cell or with a serious criminal record.
But parents also have a role to play. This time of year sees young people taking part in late night larks that can be a lot of fun. But that can – and often do – cross the line into outright criminality.
So make sure you know where your teenagers are, make sure they know the risks and try to keep them safe.
Lets enjoy this sparkly community spectacle – without the drama.