Budget passed, Labour out of step!

I'm just rushing out to my surgery, but I'm delighted to hear the Scottish budget has passed. Labour failed again to rise above their petty politics for the greater good of Scotland. The other parties managed to find common ground. 

Take it to the doorsteps: Labour do not support the following:

A further £11.5 million to create 25,000 modern apprenticeship places - a 

record high for Scotland;
 

Abolition of prescription charges and the Council tax freeze;

Continuing Small Business Bonus Scheme;
 

Invest an additional £15 million across 2010-11 and 2011-12 in funding 

for college bursaries; 

1,000 additional police officers;
 

£10 million support for SME employment creation – focused on new 

starts, sole traders and small firms to take on new employees by 

assisting with employment and recruitment costs and assist with 

exports;

Provide 7,000 flexible training opportunities for SMEs - 2,000 more 

than originally planned in the draft Budget;

Invest £8 million to provide enough funding for an extra 1,200 college 

places;

Maintain educational grants (EMAs) for pupils and college students 

most in need which were cut south of the border;

Extending the Living Wage of £7.15 to all agencies the Government is 

responsible for and Scotland's NHS; 

Guarantee a probation place for every newly-qualified teacher and 

provide enough teaching jobs for every post-probationer in 2011-12;

New Early Years and Early Intervention Fund, with start-up funding of 

£5 million;

£2m Freight Facilities Grant;

£1m Post office Diversification Scheme;

£12.5 million for Urban Regeneration Companies – increase of £6 million 

on the Draft budget;

£16 million further investment in Housing;

Protect Health Spending and continue provisions for free personal care;

£2.5 billion infrastructure investment programme;

Infrastructure Commitments such as the new Forth crossing, New South 

Glasgow Hospitals project and school building programme;

£70 million Renewables Infrastructure Fund – over four years;

£48 million support for energy assistance package and Home Insulation 

Scheme. 

All this done in spite of £1.3 billion in cuts started under Labour.