Swinney suffers double defeat on school meals and rail fares

Only the SNP’s 62 MSPs backed the Scottish Government’s amendments which highlighted the financial constraints facing the country.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has told ministers they have been “shamed” by the result in Holyrood.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth was forced to admit her government did not disagree with the Scottish Tory motion calling for all primary school pupils to receive the free school meals during this parliamentary term.

READ MORE: I know what it’s like to go to school hungry – does John Swinney? 

READ MORE: Is travelling by ScotRail supposed to be miserable and expensive?

READ MORE: Forbes: Free school meals vote will not reverse delay 

But she admitted the Scottish Government had no choice, despite Ms Gilruth making “strong representations” to Finance Secretary Shona Robison against the cuts.

Both the education motion, and a separate vote on reversing the reintroduction of peak train fares, have been backed by Tory, Labour and Green MSPs.

While it is a defeat for the SNP-run Scottish Government, it will not have an impact on legislative proposals, with Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes also confirming it will not lead to the decisions being reversed.

However, it is likely to place significant pressure on the minority administration as STUC general secretary Roz Foyer describing the free school meals decision as “inexcusable”.

During the free school meals debate, Scottish Tory education spokesman said the decision would set back the Scottish Government’s mission to eradicate child poverty.

He said: “By axing the universal roll out of free school meals in primary schools, the SNP has shamefully betrayed Scotland’s poorest pupils.

Ms Gilruth told MSPs the Scottish Government remained committed to the universal policy, with the former teacher stating: “I know hungry children cannot learn”.

“But I understand the deep disappointment that universal rollout to primaries six and seven has been delayed and, frankly, I share that disappointment,” she said.

Her changes to the motion from Mr Kerr blame the “austerity agenda” of the previous Conservative and current Labour UK governments, adding that the universal rollout would cost £256 million.

On free school meals, the STUC’s Ms Foyer said: “The government has been shamed today. Our Parliament was right to hold them to account. Every day that a child goes hungry in our classrooms is a national scandal and it’s utterly incompatible for the Scottish Government to claim eradicating child poverty is their priority whilst they rollback on their pledge to our pupils.”

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes.  (Image: PA)

The trade union body also accused the Scottish Government of “derailing” green economic pledges by reintroducing rail fares across Scotland.

The pilot to remove peak-time rail fares will be terminated from September 27, with commuters facing soaring travel costs.

Addressing the double defeat, Scottish Tory chief whip Alexander Burnett said: “John Swinney must see the error of his ways and drop these damaging plans in the wake of two humiliating parliamentary defeats inflicted by the Scottish Conservatives.”

He added: “John Swinney would be both arrogant and foolish to ignore today’s Holyrood double whammy.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said: "Parliament has spoken but and it is now the responsibility of the Scottish Government to act on the will of parliament.

“These were solemn promises made by the SNP in manifestos and on the floor of the parliament so they need to now act on them or the trust of the Scottish people in the SNP will continue to plummet.”

Ms Forbes, the Deputy First Minister told journalists prior to the vote that a Holyrood defeat would not reverse the policies set out in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government.

Asked whether ministers would change their minds on free school meals, she said: "We have been very clear about our financial constraints right across the Scottish Government’s policy agenda.

“All parts of Government are working at trying to reduce costs in order to stay within the budget that has been handed down to us by the UK Government, but also to meet the additional pay pressures.

“And that is what we will do.”

Ms Forbes continued: “None of us want to be in the position of reducing our costs. None of us want to do that.

“We’ve been very clear in our policy prospective, we’re still committed to rolling out free school meals.

“But at the moment the budget does not allow us to deliver universality.”