UNIONS in Scotland told the Scottish government yesterday that next week’s Budget is time to “end the excuses” and keep its promises to workers.

That was the message trade unionists from across Scotland took to the heart of Holyrood today as they staged a rally demanding investment in services, workers and communities at the Budget on December 4.

The STUC said that the boost in Scottish funding in October’s UK Budget — amounting to £1.5 billion this year and £3.4bn in the next — provides the opportunity for the Scottish government to deliver on long-promised policies such as extending free school meals, boosting creative arts funding and investment in public transport.  

In a briefing to MSPs, the trade union body, which has long-argued that the Scottish government itself could raise over £3bn a year more using its devolved powers, says that satisfaction with Scottish public services has plummeted by a staggering 25 per cent since 2010 as council budgets were slashed.

Those councils now face an eye-watering shortfall of £780m by 2026/27, a situation the STUC argues is exacerbated by 17 years of caps and freezes which have left an £800m “council tax gap” with the rest of the UK, while £3bn was “squandered” on a Small Business Bonus Scheme despite the government’s own analysis concluding there was ”no empirical evidence” it achieved anything.

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “With almost £5bn injected into the coffers of the Scottish government, workers cannot tolerate another tiresome merry-go-round of the Westminster blame game.

“The ball is in their court. They promised better pay for social care workers.

“They promised hungry school pupils a free school meal.

“They promised better public transport and they promised our creative industries sustained investment.

“To fund this, we should be raising taxes on those with the broadest shoulders, not wasting £3bn on ineffectual business support.

“The Scottish government have the powers. They have the cash.

“It’s time to end the excuses and stand by the workers of Scotland who were promised world-class public services.

“Workers are tired of the tiresome talking from ministers. It’s now imperative that we now see action.”

A Scottish government spokesperson responded: “The Scottish Budget will prioritise our resources in line with the First Minister’s priorities of ending child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and supporting the path to net zero.

“Ministers are committed to building as broad support as possible across Parliament.”