The leader of a break-away group of Scottish Labour councils has called for finance chief Derek Mackay to quit if MSPs reject his budget in a crunch Holyrood vote today.
Scottish Local Government Partnership (SLGP) convener Jenny Laing, who is also the leader of Aberdeen City Council, said Mr Mackay was planning to “rip off” millions from councils.
The SLGP, which includes Aberdeen, Glasgow, Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire councils, broke away from the mainstream Cosla group of local authorities in 2015.
Councillor Laing said: “Derek Mackay’s plans to rip off Scotland’s councils and the people we represent are now slowly unravelling.
“I don’t think either he or the first minister were prepared for the backlash but voters are now better informed than ever and can see for themselves the way their town halls have been hammered year in, year out.
“If MSPs vote with their consciences and stand up for their constituents then this package of chronic cuts will be rejected and the finance secretary must then do the honourable thing and fall on his sword.”
She added: “In spite of all the smoke and mirrors, double counting and opaque language, we all know the SNP’s plan to slash funding to town halls by hundreds of millions of pounds will devastate frontline services, such as roads, housing and even education.
“Despite five straight years of cuts totalling £1billion, SLGP councils have managed to minimise the impact, but this has now become impossible.
“The SNP government has proved itself totally devoid of any compassion or credibility when it comes to running Scotland’s finances.
“While the first minister obsesses over a second independence referendum and Brexit, councils face a funding crisis of historic proportions, the SNP’s education policies lie somewhere in the long grass, the. NHS is on its knees and Scotland’s businesses face an uncertain future without any meaningful ministerial support or direction.
“I challenge Nicola Sturgeon to get rid of her finance secretary, banish his Budget of doom and demonstrate to Scots voters that she possesses the values and vision to take the nation forward and allow us to compete with all the other great countries of the world.”
