The opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament are attempting to form a coalition to block the new SNP budget.

Labour, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives have talked of the possibility of uniting against the SNP’s minority government to ensure an increase in the amount of funding allocated to Scottish universities.

Earlier this month, the SNP budget announced a far lower increase in funding for universities than the institutions had asked for and has therefore come under severe criticism from the other major political parties.

The budget has factored in an extra £30 million funding for universities, but this figure falls far short of the £168 million requested by the country's higher education institutions.

With university principals claiming a need for £40 million in order to merely maintain the status quo, Labour, Lib Dem and Conservative MSPs have voiced their concerns for the future of Scottish higher education.

Among the major worries is that the best staff will be wooed south of the border by richer English unveristies.

A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “Universities are vital to our economy and we are deeply disturbed at the inadequate settlement.” This sentiment has been echoed by university principals throughout Scotland.

Dr Brian Lang, Principal and vice-chancellor of St Andrews University, in an interview with The Scotsman, expressed his concerns that the level of funding on offer to Scottish higher education institutions would “have serious repercussions for the stability of the sector north of the Border.”

Furthermore, he stated: “We recognise that the Scottish Government has limited resources and many competing priorities, but we had hoped ministers might recognise that higher education is one of the few means by which Scotland can generate new wealth and remain internationally competitive.”

Rhona Brankin, the Labour Party education spokesperson, said: “We're throwing down the gauntlet to the SNP. We have been talking to the other parties about this and we believe there is widespread dismay about the level of funding for universities.”

A Labour spokesperson told The Journal that “informal discussions” had already taken place between the parties.

The Liberal Democrats have seemed the most willing to form an alliance. While the Conservatives also want additional funding for universities and expressed interest in the proposals, they have not committed themselves to an alliance.

Murdo Fraser, the Conservative party education spokesman, said: “We have to think about our own priorities in relation to the budget. Whilst universities are important to us, the key issues are police and law and order.”

Any increase in funding for universities would have to come from other areas of the budget.

Nicol Stephen, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, has suggested using money from mutualising Scottish Water to fund an increased budget for Scottish universities but Labour’s Ms Brankin told The Scotsman: "We need to study the budget in detail and talk to other political parties, but it is too early to say where that money will come from."

If the Scottish Labour MSPs join forces with Liberal Democrat and Conservative MSPs they will form a majority coalition. This potentially means that they could block the SNP budget altogether.

Failure to pass a budget is a massive failure for any executive and would be disastrous for the SNPs minority government.

However, the Scottish government is expected to make concessions in order to ensure the budget is passed.