The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
MSP is accused of ‘communism’ over profits comments
ALabour politician was accused of supporting “all-out communism” after claiming private businesses should be banned from making a profit.
Mercedes Villalba, who was elected to Holyrood last year, insisted financial gains for firms should be “outlawed” due to soaring inflation.
Party officials distanced themselves from the comment after the North East regional MSP posted her thoughts online.
Prices of goods have been rising in recent months as the UK is gripped by a severe cost-of-living crisis.
It has been warned millions across Britain could be left in fuel poverty this winter if politicians do not intervene.
Ms Villalba, who is based in Dundee, wrote: “In a period of record inflation, private profit should be outlawed. Or aren’t we all in this together?”
She added: “It’s not a ‘global inflationary phenomenon’, it’s decades of neoliberalism in the making.”
Her idea to curb all profits made by private businesses go far beyond proposals made by any mainstream political leader in recent years.
The Tories claimed Ms Villalba’s position was “ludicrous” as they branded their Labour rivals “extreme” and “irrational”.
MSP Maurice Golden said: “Mercedes Villalba has completely lost the plot with this bizarre suggestion.
“The idea that we should outlaw all private profit goes way beyond left-wing economics and into the realm of all-out communism.
“This ludicrous position would be laughed out of the room in a student union debate – to hear it from an elected politician is completely absurd.”
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “This is not Labour policy.”
In January Ms Villalba claimed ex-labour chief Jeremy Corbyn’s suspension from the party should be ended by Sir Keir Starmer.
This ludicrous position would be laughed out of the room in a student union debate