I firmly believe the 2023 UK Government Spring Budget represents a critical opportunity to build a stronger and more prosperous economy for the future of our country.
For Scotland, the budget delivered an extra £320 million to support and improve public services. The SNP must ensure they don’t squander this funding like they have wasted hundreds of millions of pounds in the past on ferries that aren’t even finished.
The nationalists must also take another leaf out of the UK Government’s approach and focus fully on the cost-of-living crisis. That’s what the Chancellor has done, by extending the energy price cap for three months. That’s a welcome step to help families pay energy bills. We need to see the SNP put all of their energy and attention into tackling this crisis too, rather than getting distracted again by their obsession with another referendum.
I want to commend the Chancellor for his commitment to fiscal responsibility. In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever that we maintain a stable and sustainable economy. By sticking to pledges to reduce our national debt and balance the books, the Chancellor has demonstrated his commitment to responsible governance. It is vital that we don’t leave the next generation with large debts to pay.
But the Spring Budget is about more than just balancing the books. It is about investing in our future and creating opportunities for all. That is why I am particularly pleased to see significant investment in key areas such as education and business innovation.
Education is the key to unlocking opportunities and driving prosperity, so I am fully behind the Chancellor’s commitment to increasing funding for early years education. His moves will increase support for families and help people return to work who are keen to do so. The SNP must follow his lead and make similar moves in Scotland.
I am also excited to see the government’s focus on innovation and unleashing British ingenuity. He has removed obstacles to businesses investing and provided new incentives so that companies can create the exciting new jobs of the future. This Budget provides a stepping stone so the UK can become the next technology superpower.
This Budget once again demonstrated that Rishi Sunak’s UK Government is continuing to deliver for Scottish families and businesses in these difficult times. The SNP Government must now use this extra funding to address the cost-of-living crisis in Scotland and help families who are struggling to make ends meet or get back in to work.
