SNP’S reliance on Green MSPS to blame for ill-thought-out economic tinkering

Debating whether the SNP’S tax policy will have any positive or negative effects is fairly futile, as like any other policy the SNP have it is not about what is good for the majority of Scots but what will keep them in power.

As long as Holyrood gives them the chance to play at being a “government in waiting” the SNP believe that they will eventually achieve their separatist goal.

At the moment they need the support of the six Green list MSPS to dominate over the other parties. In 2016 the Greens got just over 13,000 votes in the constituencies, but more than 150,000 votes on the list – 11.5 times more.

In contrast, the main parties had a variation of between 0.90 (SNP) and 1.04 (Conservative) between constituency and list. This was mainly as the Greens only contested three constituencies, showing clear- ly they are a fringe party who soaked up second votes from the SNP by adopting separatism as a policy.

I have never heard any Scottish Green politician adequately explain how separatism is a “green issue” – surely environmental concerns are the same in Burnmouth as they are in Berwick?

While both the SNP and Greens like to use the “evil English Tories” argument invented by Scottish Labour long ago to justify why Scotland is politically different from the rest of the UK, the SNP have always previously talked left and acted right.

Their reliance on the Green MSPS now means they have had to enact ill-thought-out policies like tinkering with tax bands and removing the charitable status of private schools rather than properly think through policies to grow the Scottish economy, which is the best way to increase tax revenues by far.

The SNP are always fond of berating the “unelected House of Lords” and claiming a “democratic deficit” between Scotland and England. Devolution has now delivered a democratic disaster for Scotland, where the SNP tribute act that is the Scottish Greens have been allowed to take over the microphone and shout rather too loudly at the rest of us.

(DR) S J CLARK Easter Road, Edinburgh I have a confession to make. I am somewhat cynical about how genuine the SNP are about tackling inequality in Scotland.

Despite my cynicism, however, I felt the challenge posed by Labour’s progressive agenda would force the nationalists to propose a budget for Scotland that enabled our country to embark on a process of real change. Despite my cynicism, I have to admit I have been disappointed.

Derek Mackay has introduced a series of tax measures that will mean that somebody earning the living wage will be just 38p per week better off than an equivalent person living in England under the Tories. Meanwhile, a Scot earning £50,000 per year is £85 more better off than last year. Tax cuts for some aboveaverage earners and a complete failure to tax the richest at a fair rate will be funded by cutting essential services run by councils.

Again, councils will be forced to raise the most regressive tax (council tax) to help make ends meet because the nationalist government won’t do more than tinker with the most progressive tax (income tax). This is an utter disgrace.

Nonetheless, those concerned about the impact of SNP cuts in their community will be relieved to hear that Nicola Sturgeon’s “international relations” budget is safe! The budget has increased by 25 per cent in just two years to £17.3 million and, among other things, funds her jaunts overseas.

But that’s not the only place where savings can be made. The bungled farm payment scheme and what Audit Scotland calls an “unacceptable” waste of public money by Police Scotland are symptomatic of a government that is ineffective and inefficient. Rather than addressing these problems, the SNP elite is passing the buck to councils.

Government is, after all, about priorities, and the SNP have shown time and time again how much of a priority those that rely on council services are.

(PROF) SCOTT ARTHUR Buckstone Gardens, Edinburgh The Scottish Budget would suggest that the SNP are beginning to emerge reluctantly from fantasy politics and face reality and actually accept that reckless spending on goodies to gain votes does, eventually, have a price.

Despite the worse than grim economic growth forecast and the new £2 billion black hole, it would seem the SNP now sees that prestige trips to the US and China, armies of special advisers, bridge tolls abolition and other hand-outs actually have to be paid for. By us, the taxpayers.

Is there a single achievement that could not have been obtained by the system that Holyrood replaced? Layer upon layer of extra government and representation and armies of jobs for the boys and hangers-on have done nothing to better our lives.

ALEXANDER MCKAY New Cut Rigg, Edinburgh