Hard-pressed, over-taxed Scots are braced for more pain this week due to a string of “eye-watering” SNP and Labour-induced rises in household bills, the Scottish Conservatives have warned.
Inflation-busting increases in council tax and water bills will take effect this month, as local authorities bid to plug a black hole in their finances caused by the SNP Government’s funding settlement.
At the same time, Labour’s National Insurance hike will kick in and the energy price cap will rise tomorrow (April 1), despite Keir Starmer’s pre-election pledge to reduce bills by £300.
Craig Hoy, the Scottish Conservatives’ shadow finance and local government secretary, said that April Fool’s Day was no laughing matter for ordinary Scots, who faced “a fresh financial assault from two high-tax, left-wing governments”.
Scottish Conservative shadow finance and local government secretary Craig Hoy said: “April Fool’s Day will feel like a sick joke to hard-pressed Scots, who face a fresh financial assault from two high-tax, left-wing governments.
“The SNP Government’s chronic underfunding of local authorities means that Scots, who are already taxed more than any other part of the UK, face eye-watering, inflation-busting council tax and water bill rises.
“On top of that, households have to contend with a rise in the energy price cap – despite Labour’s broken promise to cut fuel bills by £300 – and Keir Starmer’s National Insurance hike on employers, which will mean higher prices for customers and job cuts or pay freezes for employees.
“Ordinary Scots are at breaking point – they can’t absorb a quadruple whammy of extra costs.
“In the 1970s Labour squeezed the rich until the pips squeaked. Fifty years on, Labour and the SNP are doing the same thing to lower and middle-income Scots.
“Only the Scottish Conservatives are standing up for hard-working, over-taxed Scots.”