Scottish Labour’s radical tax hike for high earners

●People earning more than £60,000 would face hefty rise under plans

Labour has unveiled radical plans for a £1 billion tax-raising drive that would see Scots earning more than £60,000 facing hefty hikes.

The proposals would also mean a £100 million hit for pubs and clubs as part of a new “social responsibility levy” on each drink sold, while new taxes on tourists and land lying vacant would be introduced. Labour leader Richard Leonard said the hardline approach, which includes a new 50p top rate of income tax, is needed to end the “failed experiment” of austerity.

But the plans were branded “fantasy figures” by Finance Secretary Derek Mackay, who insisted the proposals would raise far less than claimed.

MSPS will tomorrow debate the Scottish Government’s proposed budget, which already includes proposals to make higher earners pay more while low earners would get a modest cut.

Labour said their alternative spending plans are a “budget for real change”.

Mr Leonard said: “It is time to end the failed experiment of austerity by making radical use of the powers available to the Scottish Parliament.

“When we campaigned for a

Scottish Labour is investigating after a councillor told Anas Sarwar he could not back him in the party leadership contest because Scotland was not ready for a “brown, Muslim Paki”.

Another Labour member allegedly told the MSP she could not support his leadership bid after she saw a picture of his wife wearing a hijab.

Mr Sarwar lost out to Richard Leonard in last autumn’s leadership contest, which was sparked by the resignation of Kezia Dugdale.

The MSP has spoken out to raise awareness about racism and Islamophobia.

Mr Sarwar, a former deputy leader of the party, said the first incident happened as he was canvassing support from senior Labour figures.

He said: “A leader of a Labour council group told me very clearly the reason that he couldn’t support me in the leadership election was that, in his words, Scotland wasn’t ready for a ‘brown, Muslim Paki’.

“When I challenged him on that, saying it was a racist, Islamophobic comment, he said that wasn’t his opinion. It was his fear about what his constituents believe.”

Another Labour member told him she could not support his bid after seeing a picture of his wife, Furheen, wearing a hijab.

Mr Sarwar said: “My wife wears a hijab and she said, based on the picture she saw of my wife, she couldn’t vote for me in the leadership election.”

He said his wife is “a Scot in every way possible” and that “her identity is way more than what she chooses to wear on her head”.

The former Scottish Labour deputy leader will today launch a Scottish Parliament cross-party group on tackling Islamophobia.

Yesterday a party spokesman said: “Labour is taking steps to ensure this issue can be thoroughly investigated and as part of that, the General Secretary is contacting Anas to identify the individual involved and take appropriate action.”

0 Anas Sarwar lost out to Richard Leonard in last autumn’s leadership contest