John Swinney today refused to rule out raising taxes on workers, businesses and homeowners after Rachel Reeves hikes bills in the UK budget later this month.
At First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said people could not afford even higher taxes.
He urged John Swinney to look at bringing bills down, not raising them even higher – but the First Minister declined to rule out further hikes.
Most workers in Scotland already pay more income tax than workers in the rest of the UK as a result of SNP tax rises.
Anyone earning more than around £30,300 pays more in income tax in Scotland.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “Rachel Reeves is going to raise taxes and break yet another Labour promise.
“Her budget is going to hit working people with higher bills, which Labour repeatedly said they wouldn’t do.
“Yet it seems that John Swinney is one of the few people in the UK who supports Labour’s plan to raise taxes.
“His refusal to rule out hiking taxes yet again is deeply alarming for hard-pressed Scots.
“Raising taxes would be another hammer blow to workers after years of SNP financial mismanagement.
“The SNP have increased taxes, driven away aspirational workers, damaged business confidence, and held back Scotland’s economy.
“People deserve a break. They deserve to keep more of their own hard-earned money.
“John Swinney should give a cast-iron guarantee that no matter what Rachel Reeves does, the SNP won’t raise bills for workers, businesses or homeowners.”
Notes to editors
John Swinney said last year the UK Government should raise income tax. Swinney told Holyrood: ‘I have explained it to him often enough, so Mr Sarwar knows that the UK Government should have increased income tax.’ (Official report, 14 November 2024, link).