Scottish First Minister John Swinney warned of the impact if Holyrood fails to approve the Scottish Government’s budget for 2025-26.
John Swinney has insisted there will be “real damage done” to the NHS if opposition MSPs block his budget – claiming this could see operations cancelled and medicines rationed.
The Scottish First Minister warned of a “catastrophic reduction in service delivery” if Holyrood fails to pass the Government’s budget for the coming year.
A loss of £2 billion additional fudning planned for health care could also put planned pay rises for doctors and nurses “under threat” Mr Swinney said, adding that “strict” emergency spending limits that would have to be introduced if the budget is not approved could potentially even threaten the Government’s ability to keep the lights on.
Making his first speech of 2025, the SNP leader warned of the consequences to the NHS and beyond if opposition parties were to block the Budget Bill.
With the First Minister leading a minority administration in the Scottish Parliament, the SNP needs the support of at least one other party for the legislation to go through.
Giving an address in Edinburgh, Mr Swinney made clear that the impact “of a budget failing to pass is severe”.
He added that he warned “everyone to be aware of the damage that will be done if that were to happen.”
And, while he stressed that ministers would “always seek to avoid the worst impact”, he said not passing the budget would “put at risk £2 billion of additional investment in the NHS causing a catastrophic reduction in service delivery”.
We’re working hard to avoid it, but if opposition parties block the Budget, the consequences are devastating:
❌ NHS funding slashed❌ Cancelled operations, pay rises at risk❌ No winter heating payments for pensioners❌ Halted progress on teachers, housing & the A9 pic.twitter.com/xV1JtrxZvc
— The SNP (@theSNP) January 6, 2025
The First Minister said: “Operations would likely have to be cancelled, nurses’ and doctors’ pay rises would be under threat, medicines might have to be rationed.”
He told how any failure to pass the budget would see “strict” emergency arrangements come into effect, which would mean Scottish Government departments could not increase spending from this year’s levels, with money only to be spent on measures outlined in the 2024-25 budget.
Spending would also be limited to month by month, Mr Swinney added, saying: “As an example it might mean we cannot spend any more money on health and social care in April 2025 than we did in April 2024.”
He questioned how pay rises and rising energy bills could be met in such a scenario, with the First Minister stating: “If the electricity or gas bill in a public building rises next year – and we know it is going to – how can the lights be kept on when the budget is frozen every month.”
On the impact elsewhere, he said: “It would mean: no universal heating payments for pensioners; the record increase in arts and culture funding halted; fewer teachers and no new money for additional support needs; increased funding for affordable housing lost.”
This, he said, would result in “real damage to the very fabric of our public services” with “real damage inflicted on some of the most vulnerable in our land”.
In a stark message to opposition leaders at Holyrood, the First Minister said: “If party politicking results in the budget failing to pass, there will be real damage done.”
