John Swinney has admitted that a snap election could be called if the SNP’s budget isn’t voted through.
The First Minister needs the support of at least two members of other parties and with the SNP’s relationship with the Green Party deteriorating, it leaves the government at risk of being unable to get it past Holyrood.
Scotland’s next election is scheduled for 2026 but it could be held next year if the SNP government can’t pass their budget.
Mr Swinney was speaking to Nick Robinson on BBC Radio 4’s Political Thinking programme and was quizzed on his budget and what would happen with it.
The plans will go before MSPs in December before being voted on early next year, and when asked if a snap election is possible, the First Minister did concede it could happen but he believes it’s not what the public want.
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He said: “It depends on the actions of other political parties. We'll put forward a budget that will be sustainable. We’ll engage in a dialogue because we don't have a parliamentary majority.
“But that puts as much emphasis on other political parties and what they're prepared to support, because I don't think the public in Scotland want to go to any extra election than they’re scheduled to have.”
And when asked if it was a message to the Green Party, he said: “I think it's a message to everybody.
“There's no hiding place for any political party. If we don't have a budget in place on the 1st of April, hospitals can't get the budget, schools can't get the budgets, benefits can't be paid, all sorts of things like that. So all these things follow that will come from a budget that doesn't pass.”
“There'll be a time at some stage in the future when I step down. But it's not any time soon and it's certainly not before the 2026 Holyrood the elections.”
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