The SNP’s era of high tax and free spending must come to an end, the Scottish Conservatives have said ahead of today’s Scottish Budget.
Shadow finance secretary Craig Hoy says that for 17 years the nationalists “have failed Scotland by making people pay more while getting less”.
He added that it is time for a “common sense budget that helps workers and businesses, not another left-wing deal that hammers households.”
Craig Hoy highlighted the Scottish Conservatives costed tax plans that would deliver a tax cut for workers, businesses and would-be homeowners.
The Scottish Conservative tax plan would see income tax reduced by £222 for the average earner, as the 19p rate would apply up to £43,662.
It would mean that everyone earning less than £45,000 – which includes approximately 85 per cent of Scottish taxpayers – would pay less tax than if they lived in the rest of the UK.
The party are also proposing 100 per cent rates relief for pubs and restaurants next year, meaning they would pay no business rates at all, alongside 40 per cent rates relief for Scottish retail, hospitality and leisure businesses.
The proposals would also see LBTT reduced to zero per cent on all residential properties up to £250,000 which would save the average house buyer approximately £800.
Scottish Conservative shadow finance secretary Craig Hoy MSP said: “The Scottish Budget is a chance for the SNP to set a new direction on tax and spend to deliver growth in the economy.
“For 17 years, the Nationalists have failed Scotland by making people pay more and get less. Bills have increased while hundreds of millions of pounds have been wasted and public services have declined sharply.
“The SNP's era of high tax, free spending must come to an end. It's time for a common sense budget that helps workers and businesses, not another left-wing deal that hammers households.
“The SNP's economic mismanagement has held Scotland back and reduced the money available to improve public services.
“Labour have already hiked tax on workers and businesses this year, the SNP must not do the same or the hit to our economic growth could be catastrophic.
“We've put forward a costed tax plan to deliver for workers and businesses.
“In today’s Scottish Budget, the SNP must start to undo some of the damage they have inflicted on Scotland over the last 17 years.”