Ash Regan announces Alba Party’s first-ever budget deal with Scottish Government

Alba MSP Ash Regan has confirmed she will vote for the Scottish Government’s Budget next month, saying she has secured her party’s “first ever budget agreement”.

Regan, a former Scottish Government minister who became Alba’s only MSP when she defected to the party, said the deal came after “constructive” talks.

She announced the agreement the day after both the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Liberal Democrats announced they have reached separate deals to back the Budget – meaning the minority SNP government at Holyrood is now certain its tax and spending package for next year will be passed.

Regan, Alba’s Holyrood leader, said measures in the Scottish Government’s Budget to expand the provision of free school meals and to restore a universal winter fuel payment in Scotland were key factors in winning her support.

While the UK Government axed the universal winter fuel payment made to pensions, introducing means testing for the benefit, the Scottish Government plans to make a payment to all pensioners, though this is not expected to come in until 2025-26, with work needed to set up the new benefit.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government confirmed on Tuesday it will expand free school meals to pupils in the first three years of secondary school who are in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment – with this one of the measures that helped ministers get support from Green MSPs.

Regan, who is running to become Alba’s next leader following Alex Salmond’s death in October last year, said: “I am pleased to secure Alba Party’s first ever budget agreement with the Scottish Government.

“We have delivered policies that will put money in the pockets of households across Scotland.”

Speaking about the Budget, the Alba MSP added: “I have taken part in constructive budget talks with the Scottish Government, and as part of that process successfully made the case to mitigate the callous UK Labour Government cut to the winter fuel payments.

“The decision to expand free school meal entitlement further in secondary schools is also welcome on the back of Alba Party’s free school meal campaign.”

However, she added she would “continue to press” for eligibility for free school meals to be to be further increased.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has already confirmed his MSPs will abstain in February’s Budget votes, with only the Scottish Tories now likely to vote against the Government.