THE Scottish government is “out of excuses” on the housing emergency after its £3.4 billion budget boost, Labour said today.

Pressure has been building on SNP ministers after they voted to slash affordable housing budgets by £200 million last year — amounting to 26 per cent, before going on to declare a national housing emergency as homelessness soared to record levels.

As the Scottish government prepares to publish its draft budget, Scottish Labour housing spokesman Mark Griffin has called on the SNP to plough the £3.4bn boost in Scottish government funding — from Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s recent Budget — into turning the situation around.

He said: “Labour has ended the era of Tory austerity and delivered record levels of funding for Scotland — the SNP must not squander this opportunity with its usual financial mismanagement.

“With Labour in government delivering change across the UK, the SNP is out of excuses.”

SNP housing minister, Paul McLennan said: “The Scottish government has a strong track record in housing by supporting the delivery of more than 133,000 affordable homes since 2007.

“We have also committed to invest £100m to support the construction of around 2,800 mid-market rent homes. Plus, a further £80m over the next two years to further increase the supply of social and affordable homes.

“Tackling the housing emergency will take a joint effort from the Scottish and UK governments and local authorities across Scotland.”