‘Miserly’ income tax cut used for ‘cheap headline’ – Russell Findlay

John Swinney has been accused of making a “miserly cut” to income tax to “get a cheap and easy headline”.

Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay criticised the government’s decision to only reduce income tax for some people, and even then by a maximum of £31.75 per year.

The first minister argued the Scottish budget “delivers on the priorities of the people of Scotland”, pointing to cost of living support in particular.

The Scottish budget was delivered by finance secretary Shona Robison on Tuesday.

She confirmed the thresholds for the basic and intermediate rates of income tax would be raised as of April, which means more of people’s earnings will be taxed at those rates.

However, the higher, advanced and, top rates of income tax will remain unchanged.

Findlay said: “John Swinney gave these taxpayers a miserly cut, not to help anyone, but to get a cheap and easy headline. And for many others, income taxes will rise even further. One of the reasons for John Swinney’s tax raid is so he can spend even more on benefits.”

He criticised the SNP’s welfare plans, arguing the total cost was “out of control”, “unfair and unsustainable”. 

He added the budget overall was “damaging” and urged the government to “back business, not attack business”.

Swinney accused the Tories of seeking a “billion pound worth of cuts in public expenditure with not a scrap of detail on how that would be delivered”.

He added his government was “on the side of the people of Scotland” and reiterated the claim that the income tax changes meant most people in Scotland would pay less than in England.

Scottish Labour’s Anas Sarwar was also critical of the decisions taken on income tax, dubbing it a “political stunt”. He then questioned why the government had not announced a pause to business rate revaluations. 

On the budget overall, he said it “lacks ambition for Scotland” and the issues facing the country could “only be resolved by changing the Scottish Government in May”.

He added: “Scots do not have to put up with his failure for much longer.”

Swinney hit back by point out a fresh poll putting Labour behind the SNP and neck-and-neck with Reform.

“Mr Sarwar knows that it’s all over. It’s finished. The dream has gone. He’s in opposition and we’re going to stay in government,” the first minister added.

On tax, he highlighted teachers and nurses on the lowest pay bands would take home more pay than their counterparts in England, and on business rates he detailed changes, including relief packages, which would “support businesses to support the economy”.