A “PATRONISING” Labour MSP has been called out by the Finance Secretary after he signalled for her to sit down and be quiet while she was answering his question.
Shona Robison was responding to points raised by Scottish Labour’s Daniel Johnson when the opposition MSP made the gesture, for which he was also told off by the deputy presiding officer.
Johnson, a Labour frontbencher, had raised housing and enterprise agency cuts in the Scottish Budget. He said the areas being cut were “vital for growth” and asked if the Scottish Government had “given up on growth altogether”.
In response, Robison challenged the Labour MSP to outline which areas in the Budget should be cut in order to make up for the funding shortfalls in the areas he had highlighted.
As she was speaking, Johnson repeatedly gestured and said the word “half” over and over, referencing the amount by which the funding for “more homes” has been cut in the last two years.
As he continued to repeat himself, Robison said: “If the Welsh Labour Finance Secretary was standing here she, of course, would be making the point that [the cuts] are due to the UK Government’s decisions to cut our capital budget by 10% over five years.
“It’s just a pity that the Labour party in here cannot put the responsibility where it lies, and that is at the door of the UK Government.”
Robison went on: “I cannot stand here and say that the Budget decisions of the UK Government, an austerity Budget, is going to have no impact on our Budget.
“If the Labour party want to tell me where they would take money from elsewhere in this Budget to apply to the areas that Daniel Johnson wants to apply to then I’m able and willing to listen…”
As Robison rounded up, Johnson could be seen telling her to “just stop” and waving his hand for her to be seated.
Responding, a visibly shocked Finance Secretary said: “I have to say to Daniel Johnson, his patronising manner in this chamber leaves a lot to be desired.
"It is very disrespectful.”
Deputy presiding officer Annabelle Ewing also admonished Johnson, saying: “I would say to the bench over here [Labour’s], who are normally better behaved, that we do have to have the courtesy of listening to the person who’s being asked to respond.
“That wasn’t, I have to say, very courteous.”
Elsewhere, Robison said in her Budget statement at Holyrood that a new “advanced” tax band will apply to those earning between £75,000 and £125,140.
The top rate of tax, levied against those earning above this figure, will rise by 1% next year to 48p in the pound.
In other areas of tax, the three lowest rates will see no increase to their rates while the starter and basic rate bands will increase by the level of inflation.
The changes will bring in another £1.5 billion to Scotland’s finances next year, Robison said.
The Scottish Government had been facing the difficult task of closing a £1.5bn shortfall.
“Due to Westminster mismanagement of our economy, too many households are worrying about debt,” Robison had said.
“With our limited powers there is only so much we can do. However, where we can step in, we will.”
Other announcements include freezing business rates for premises valued at less than £51,000 and giving 100% rates relief to hospitality businesses in Scotland’s islands.
Funding for NHS boards will rise by £550 million – or 4.3% – and amounts to £13.2bn.
