UNIONS and poverty campaigners demanded stronger action from Holyrood yesterday to reverse inequality and pay cuts following Thursday's publication of the draft Scottish Budget.

And though Finance Secretary John Swinney won headlines with a so-called mansion tax — in reality a replacement for Stamp Duty — Shelter branded his Budget as a “missed opportunity” for social housing.

Scottish TUC general secretary Grahame Smith said the draft provided “little relief for hard-pressed public service workers” whose real-terms income has been falling.