Scottish Budget

[Shabbychic]

It's Scottish Budget Day again.

They need 2 extra votes to get it through. I wonder if they will get them, or will it be back to the drawing board?

It appears Labour won't back it no matter what, The Lib-Dems will back it only if Independence is off the table, and I think we can rule out the Tories, although they, supposedly, may discuss things further if Independence is ruled out.

So, it all depends on the Greens once again. I know they are holding out at present, but which way will they go at the end of the day?

[Shabbychic]

Looks like an agreement has been reached with the Greens on the vote later today.

Fingers crossed.

[Bystander1]

Looks like an agreement has been reached with the Greens on the vote later today.

Fingers crossed.

Was there ever any doubt ?

[Fulmar]

So that's the tourist tax in then.

[Shabbychic]

Well, maybe. The deal done with the Greens, which wasn't 100% guaranteed this time, was new powers for councils to raise extra tax for local services, which I believe opens the door for a "tourist tax". However, the SG will first undertake a formal consultation on the principle of this so called visitor levy, before actually introducing the legislation, as many are not happy with it. I'm not really for this "tourist tax" myself.

[aqua]

For several years the Greens have extracted sensible budget concessions from the SNP. This is good.