Budget Response

12.00.00am GMT Wed 21st Nov 2007

It is incumbent upon me to comment upon the 'budget' announced by the SNP Government this week.

The bottom line is this: The sums didn't add up. Cast iron promises have simply been dropped. Scotland was misled.

I know a number of voters were impressed by what they saw as a radical manifesto in May built on the following pillars:

1. 1000 new police officers were to be recruited. On Monday that promise became a hope to recruit 500. Perhaps.

2. Student debt was to be written off. Now they say they won't do that after all. They didn't even present parliament with a proposal.

3. Class sizes would be cut to 18 for P1-P3. This is now just an aspiration.

4. They were going to make Scotland greener. Now the money's going to go into new roads, whilst spending on railways will go down from 2009.

The SNP produced a wish list, not a manifesto. The Lib Dems said at the time that the SNP's plans were simply unaffordable and paid a price for honesty.

Scotland's honeymoon with its SNP government is over. Our critique must become ever more robust.