Crushing the economy

THE SNP appears to be set on raising income tax in Scotland as part of a move to keep the support of the ultra-Left Green Party.

Nearly 30 per cent of income tax revenue raised in the UK already comes from the top 1 per cent of earners and there is very strong evidence that raising tax rates has a detrimental effect on revenues.

At a time when Scotland is desperate to attract all sorts of businesses and skilled professionals it is sheer economic lunacy to make Scotland by far the heaviest taxed part of the UK in terms of property and income taxes.

Recent reports from the Office for National Statistics show that retail sales are heading for their first annual decline in four years as consumers continue to feel the squeeze from rising inflation and disposable income is reducing.

Alan Clarke, UK economist for Scotiabank, said: ‘Now households are feeling the pinch and we’re probably getting to the point where things are about as bad as they’re going to get for consumers.’

The SNP proposed income tax rises, on mainly middle-income families, on the back of already higher rates than the rest of the UK.

Recent substantial council tax increases will also seriously affect families’ spending ability and place increased pressures on High Street shops which will begin to close putting people out of work.

The economic illiteracy of Left-wing socialist governments has been shown to be disastrous the world over and the frightening thing is that they never learn that tax and spend does not promote growth, only unsustainable debt and increased interest payments leading to even higher taxes and reduced public services.

Who can point to an economically successful socialist country?

The fact is that the SNP can only cling on to power, salaries, expenses and pensions with the support of the Greens, all unelected list MSPs, who have got them under their thumbs.

DONALD LEWIS, Gifford, East Lothian.