National Care Service plan ‘delayed, not cancelled’

Conservative, Labor and Liberal Democrat MSPs opposed the plan. They were joined by Greens MSPs last month.

The SNP is in power as a minority government after a power-sharing deal with the Greens collapsed in April.

They now have to rely on support from other parties to pass legislation in Holyrood.

But at the Greens’ party conference in Greenock, members voted to withdraw their support, saying the plan was “not fit for purpose” in its current form.

Scottish Greens health and social care spokesperson Gillian Mackay said the bill was “contrary to Green values” and a “power grab” on local authorities.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats said the plans had been “met with clear opposition quarter after quarter”.

Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “If this is the death knell for the takeover of social care by this centralizing ministry, I am delighted.

“The Scottish Liberal Democrats are the only party that has opposed this from day one. The SNP has wasted £30m over four years trying to seize bureaucratic power.”