What's happened
Scottish First Minister John Swinney has faced significant criticism after his government suffered defeats in Holyrood over cuts to free school meals and the reintroduction of peak rail fares. Opposition parties united against these decisions, arguing they undermine efforts to combat child poverty amid a backdrop of severe budget cuts.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, opposition parties condemned the SNP's decision to scrap universal free school meals, stating it undermines efforts to combat child poverty. The Scotsman described the defeats as 'humiliating' for Swinney, emphasizing the need for the SNP to regain public trust. Sky News noted that despite the non-binding nature of the votes, they signal significant discontent with the government's direction. BBC News highlighted the financial constraints leading to these policy reversals, framing them as a direct result of UK austerity measures. Each source underscores the political and economic ramifications of the SNP's recent decisions, suggesting a turbulent period ahead for Swinney's administration.
How we got here
The Scottish Government's recent decisions stem from a budget crisis, with Finance Secretary Shona Robison announcing £500 million in cuts. This financial strain has led to the shelving of a commitment to expand free school meals to all primary pupils, a key pledge from the SNP's 2021 manifesto.
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What are the implications of the new austerity measures in Scotland?
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What are the impacts of spending cuts on child poverty in Scotland?
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More on these topics
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John Ramsay Swinney is a Scottish politician serving as Deputy First Minister of Scotland since 2014 and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills since 2016.
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The Scottish National Party is a Scottish nationalist and social-democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence within the European Union, with a platform based on civic nationalism.
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The Scottish Government is the devolved government of Scotland.
The government is led by the First Minister, who selects the Cabinet Secretaries, who attend Cabinet, and Ministers with the approval of Parliament.
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Shona McRory Robison is a Scottish National Party politician serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government since May 2021.
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Liam Kerr is a Scottish Conservative Party politician who served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party from 2019 to 2020 and as the Scottish Conservatives’ Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Justice from 2017 to 2021.
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Jennifer Madeleine Gilruth is a Scottish National Party politician who has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Fife and Glenrothes since 2016. She has served as Minister for Europe and International Development since 2020.
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The Scottish Conservatives, officially the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party, is Scotland's centre-right political party and the second-largest party in the Scottish Parliament and Scottish local government.
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Humza Haroon Yousaf MSP is a Scottish National Party politician who has been Cabinet Secretary for Justice since 26 June 2018 and the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Pollok since 2016.
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Anas Sarwar is a Scottish politician who served as Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party from 2011 to 2014. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow region since 2016, having previously been Member of Parliament for Glasgow Cen
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Scottish Labour is a social democratic political party in Scotland, currently led by Richard Leonard. It is an autonomous section of the national Labour Party.
Labour currently hold 23 of 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament.
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ScotRail has been the brand name used for all Scottish regional and commuter rail services, including some cross-border services, since September 1983.