There will be 1000 extra police recruited under Budget amendments tabled last night by Finance Secretary John Swinney in a bid to secure enough opposition votes to get his spending plans passed.

SNP ministers had taken heavy criticism for failing to meet their target of 1000 more police, as promised in their manifesto.

Conservative demands, however, have forced the minority administration to return to its original plans and allocate £10m more to police recruitment.

This should ensure 300 more recruits by spring next year, rising by another 200 the following two years. This is in addition to the 500 recruits already funded over the three-year spending review period.

While the next year's budget changes have been funded by cuts elsewhere, it is not yet decided where the £13m and £17m to cover the next two years will come from. Six amendments Mr Swinney tabled by yesterday's deadline for the final stage of the Budget Bill include £4.3m extra for the new Climate Challenge Fund.

This is intended to bring the two Green MSP into voting with the government for the Budget crunch vote next Wednesday.

However, Tories and Greens refused to give full backing to the new plans, with Green MSP Patrick Harvie saying Mr Swinney should "look in his hat for at least one more rabbit".

Mr Swinney has six days to make the minor adjustments which could bring them on board.

He needs them if he is to have the backing of 65 MSPs, the minimum necessary to defeat the 62 Labour and LibDem MSPs expected to oppose the Budget.

Mr Swinney said the need for a majority in parliament has meant listening and working closely with other parties. "To do that, we have to make some tough choices and build consensus."