SNP HAS PROTECTED THE RICHEST WHILE CUTTING SERVICES FOR THE POOREST

September 25, 2017 by martinrooney2014 Leave a comment

James Kelly – Labour 

The SNP has protected the richest while cutting services for the poorest, a new briefing from Labour reveals today.

 Ahead of a Labour debate on finance in Holyrood this week, Labour’s briefing reveals:

–          A millionaire has paid less than £2 a week extra in income tax because of SNP tax policies.

–          The ten-year council tax freeze meant someone in a Band H home saved an average of more than £3,000.

–          The SNP’s plan to cut Air Departure Tax will benefit top earners over low earners.

Labour said, at a time of huge cuts to public services and falling living standards it was ‘unsustainable’ to not ask the richest to pay their fair share.

Local government budgets – which pay for services such as schools and social work – have been slashed by £1.5 billion since 2011 under the SNP.

The party also highlighted other SNP policies – like the ten-year council tax freeze and the plan to cut the Air Departure Tax – as areas where the Nationalists’ tax policies have, and will continue to, help the richest while depriving public services of vital funding.

Scottish Labour MSP, James Kelly, said:

“The SNP has protected the pockets of millionaires while cutting services which millions rely on.

“The Scottish Parliament has huge new powers over taxation – but rather than ask the richest to pay their fair share the SNP has decided to slash services that our poorest rely on the most.

“After a ten-year council tax freeze, the SNP now plans a tax cut that will benefit those who can afford to fly frequently.

“Rather than protect Scotland from Tory austerity the SNP has simply passed it on to the poorest people in Scotland.

“This is unsustainable. The SNP fantasy that we can have Scandinavian levels of public services with American levels of taxation is being exposed in communities across Scotland.

“The SNP should use the powers of the parliament to stop the cuts and invest in public services.”

NOTES 

Labour’s briefing is availiable here: http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/page/-/SNPTaxBriefing.pdf