Fresh SNP misery as Scotland's top civil servant warns John Swinney he must slash public services to balance the books - with separatists already nosediving in polls

Scotland's new First Minister John Swinney has been told he will have to make 'significant' spending cuts in order to balance the books.

In a fresh dose of misery for his party, the SNP leader was warned about a need to take an axe to public services due to the risk of financial meltdown.

John-Paul Marks, Scotland's top civil servant, revealed to MSPs this morning that he had already issued a message of frugality to Mr Swinney.

'I have been very open that I consider fiscal sustainability to be a significant risk that needs active mitigation now,' Mr Marks told a Holyrood committee.

The senior official's warning will come as a bitter blow to Mr Swinney as he attempts to overhaul the SNP's fortunes after 17 years in power and ahead of the general election.

The latest YouGov poll, published yesterday, showed support for the SNP had slumped to its lowest level since 2014.

Labour was found to have a 10-point lead over Mr Swinney's party when Scots were asked who they would vote for at a Westminster election.

Scotland's new First Minister John Swinney has been told he will have to make 'significant' spending cuts in order to balance the books

John-Paul Marks, Scotland's top civil servant, revealed to MSPs this morning that he had already issued a message of frugality to Mr Swinney

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Mr Marks, Scotland's permanent secretary, appeared before the Scottish Parliament's Finance and Public Administration Committee today for his annual wide-ranging evidence session.

Scottish Labour MSP Michael Marra asked Mr Marks if he had communicated to Mr Swinney there would need to be 'significant spending reductions'.

'I have already done that, yes,' he replied.

The top official added: 'It is a risk, and it needs to be carefully addressed and I expect the Finance Secretary (Shona Robison) will say a lot about this in June when she sets out her medium term fiscal strategy.'

In December, former first minister Humza Yousaf oversaw a hike in income tax rates in Scotland as he sought to fill a £1.5billion blackhole in his spending plans.

Mr Marks said: 'I have been very open that I consider fiscal sustainability to be a significant risk that needs active mitigation now, and that has been under way through 2022-23 with the emergency budget review, through 23-24 as well where we used a set of very significant set of controls to reduce our outturn.'

He pointed to high inflation, backlogs caused by the Cobid pandemic and a real terms fall in the capital block grant, meaning the 'right choices' had to be taken to balance the budget.

'Budget 24-25 did that, but it was, I'm sure for all concerned, one of the hardest experiences of prioritisation that we've been through under devolution,' Mr Marks added.

A spokesman for the First Minister later said: 'I don't think it's a secret that we're under significant pressure.

'The First Minister himself has said that in the chamber – that's obviously been a reality for some time. We've had 14 years of austerity, that's the way it is.

'Obviously inflation and other issues in the economy are causing problems.'

Earlier, the committee received a letter from Ms Robison confirming the publication of the medium term financial strategy and tax plans would be delayed to June 20 due to the change in First Minister.

In the YouGov poll, conducted between 13-17 May, Labour were up five points in a month to reach 39 per cent.

Meanwhile, the SNP were down four points to 29 per cent.

It was forecast that such a level of support would see Labour win 41 Scottish seats at the general election, while the SNP would be left with just eight seats - down 40 since the 2019 general election.