Swinney tries to win support for separation with budget largesse The Finance Minister published his spending plans for the next two years in an attempt to show what the Scottish Government would do after the referendum in the lead-up to potential independence for Scotland. Mr Swinney used the budget to move money around between departments and he used a £145 million saving from the projected cost of the new Queensferry Crossing to boost spending in other departments. He claimed the result would see extra childcare for families with young children, an extra £1.35 billion invested in affordable housing over the next four years and £24 million for a National Performance Centre for Sport. His proposals would also result in a continuation of the council tax freeze across Scotland for another year, an increase in wages for some public sector workers, including small increases for those earning more than £80,000, and £68 million a year to help cope with welfare cuts. A total of £20 million will be given to local authorities in the form of discretionary housing payments this year to offset the "bedroom tax." Mr Swinney said: "Within our limited powers this Government is doing everything possible to tackle the effects of Westminster's 11 per cent real terms cut to the Scottish budget, their draconian welfare reform agenda and their cut to the public services we all rely on." But he added: "With the full fiscal and economic powers of independence the Scottish Government could do yet more to strengthen our economy and create more jobs." The so-called "bedroom tax," or the spare-room subsidy as it is otherwise known, has proved to be one of the most hotly contested divisions between Labour and the SNP. Labour in Scotland wants the Scottish Government to spend £50 million next year to replace all the money which is disappearing from the Scottish economy as a result of the UK Government's decision to curb benefits payments for those with a spare room. There had already been warnings from Labour that the party would vote against the Budget if Mr Swinney failed to deliver their £50 million scheme. However, in a deliberate attempt to outflank Labour, Mr Swinney announced £20 million to offset some of the effects of the "bedroom tax," but said he would spend that money now, not wait until next year. He also argued that he was not legally able to allocate more than £20 million this year. However, Iain Gray, for Labour, was dismissive in his reaction to the Budget, declaring that Mr Swinney had got the "wrong priority." He said: "This is a victory for those who have called for the Scottish Government to act on the bedroom tax now, but it doesn't go far enough. The money allocated is less than half what's required and it provides no certainty going forward. Mr Gray added: "John Swinney refused to commit to helping struggling Scots beyond this year because, he said, he doesn't want to let the Westminster government "off the hook." So now we know the poorest, most vulnerable, disadvantaged Scots will be left on John Swinney's hook just so he can make a political point. That's not good enough. Gavin Brown, for the Scottish Conservatives, bemoaned the lack of help for businesses and warned that more and more money was being taken from Scottish business through business rates."There should have been a direct focus on the economy," he said. Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, accused Mr Swinney of glossing over rises in Scottish unemployment. "This is the wrong priority, the wrong choice," he warned. Patrick Harvie, for the Scottish Greens, called for clarity over the funding for cycling and complained that two different figures were included in the budget in two different sections, both of which appeared to deal with the same thing. Mr Swinney apologised for any confusion over the funds allocated for "active travel" but said the Budget often contained spending commitments in more than one department.