Subterranean negotiations
Bit more to report re the .
With the deadline for amendments approaching, the subterranean negotiations are proceeding apace.
Only ministers can propose amendments to the Bill allocating expenditure for the coming year.
But there's an option for John Swinney to agree now that further changes will be made in the autumn revision of spending.
He took that option last year for part of the deal with the Tories. Looks like he will have to implement that procedure again.
Re details, expect ministers to offer the Greens a pilot programme to test the notion of area-wide home insulation.
That is, not the full-scale £100m policy they were after.
'Radical option'
Expect them to try to pin down Margo Macdonald's support by stressing the value of the capital city cash for Edinburgh: that support was not forthcoming in the stage one vote on the budget.
Don't think there can be or will be any deal with the Liberal Democrats. They are continuing to hold out for their "radical" option of cutting the standard rate of income tax by 2p.
Then there's Labour - where negotiations are under way on issues such as apprentice training. However, Labour wants concessions reflecting their numerical status: that is, 46 MSPs.
Might be too much for either side.
Which leaves the Conservatives. Primarily, they want assurances that the deals they secured last year - police numbers, cut business rates, tackle drugs - will be rolled forward.
They also have a shopping list including such items as town centre renewal.
In terms of arithmetic, strategy and politics, that remarkable blend of Nationalism and Unionism once again looks the most likely avenue for agreement.
I'm 
Comments
or to comment.