MURDO FRASER launched a bizarre tirade on the Scottish Green Party after they brokered a budget deal with the SNP this afternoon.

The Conservative Mid Scotland and Fife MSP branded the six Green MSPs "lentil-munching, sandal-wearing watermelons" during a heated debate at Holyrood.

With the SNP a minority government, it had to work with opposition parties to ensure the passing of the budget.

But the Tory MSP was irate with Finance Minister Derek Mackay for opting to work with the Greens in making Scotland the "highest taxed" region of the UK.

The Greens, however, argued the deal was the biggest budget concessions in the history of devolution, with millions of additonal local government funding secured.

Though today was only the first vote in the process of passing the Bill, it was hailed by Clacks MSP Keith Brown as a strong deal for the Wee County.

He said the agreement would provide the with Clackmannanshire Council said to awaiting an extra £1.472million boost to their coffers next year.

But there was little applause on the opposite side of the chamber as Mr Fraser delivered a caustic condemnation of the SNP-Green partnership.

He said: "The finance secretary had a choice going into today's debate. He could have come with us, drop his plans to make Scotland the highest taxed part of the United Kingdom and work together with us to deliver an ambitious budget focused on growing the economy.

"Or he could turn sharp left and embrace the anti-growth, anti-business agenda of the Green Party. What a pity, what a tragedy for Scotland that he chose to throw in his lot with the lentil-munching, sandal-wearing watermelons on that side of the chamber."

After being told to calm down "just a wee bit" by deputy presiding officer Christine Graham, Mr Fraser continued to berate the SNP.

He added: "Mr Mackay was well warned by the business community as to the consequences of going further on tax than he originally intended. Yesterday the Scottish Chambers of Commerce described such a move as ‘highly dangerous’.

"Today, he and his government have shown contempt for the views of Scottish business, and have demonstrated that they have zero interest in trying to help grow our underperforming economy. They might as well put up a sign at the Border: ‘Scotland closed for business’."

Both the Liberal Democrats and Labour joined in with their protestations after voting against the plans.

However, Mr Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, said the opposition parties simply had refused to work with the government in an attempt to embarrass the SNP

He said: “This Scottish Government budget provides a strong funding deal for Clackmannanshire, giving spending commitments in the NHS, education, infrastructure, environment and the economy.

"For the opposition parties, with the exception of the Greens, to vote against all of this was deeply disappointing and against the best interests of our communities.

“It was disappointing to see Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories be more interested in political point scoring rather than standing up for their local communities in Clackmannanshire - but there’s still time for them to drop their opposition and back the Scottish Government’s proposals as the Budget Bill progresses.

“Clackmannanshire itself will benefit from a range of direct spending commitments, including an additional £1.472million for Clackmannanshire Council, £1.528million for local schools, £495million for NHS Forth Valley, the Stirling/Clackmannanshire City Deal and the electrification of the Alloa railway line.

“Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems should think again before choosing to rob Clackmannanshire of this vital investment in a narrow-minded campaign designed to achieve nothing more than embarrassing the SNP Scottish Government. This budget is too important for our communities to allow that to happen.”

Meanwhile, Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Mark Ruskell added: “I’m delighted that together with my Green colleagues we have secured nearly one and half million pounds extra budget for Clackmannanshire Council for the next year.

"This means that the damaging cuts proposed for our frontline public services should now be dropped by the council, which included over half a million pounds being cut from the budget to support the county’s teachers.

"The options laid out in the recent budget consultation came to £1.6m worth of cuts, [1] and the extra money confirmed for Clackmannanshire today will mitigate nearly all of these.

"This includes the suggestion to scrap subsidised bus routes which are a lifeline for the most vulnerable and isolated people in Clackmannanshire.

"There is no excuse now but to rule out this proposal as a result of the extra money secured for the council by the Greens.”