SNP POLICY CHIEF: £150 COUNCIL TAX PAYOUT IS UNFAIR
Government ploy ‘doesn’t do enough to aid most needy’
NICOLA Sturgeon’s plan to address the cost of living crisis has suffered another blow after it was criticised by her own policy chief.
Tony Giugliano said Ministers had to “do better” than giving most households £150 and accused the Scottish Government of being in a “comfort zone”. Finance Secretary Kate Forbes last week unveiled a £290million package to help Scots cope with soaring energy bills and inflation. She announced £150 for homes in receipt of Council Tax Reduction, which benefits the poor, and the same amount for those living in band A-D properties.
The latter policy, which is not targeted at people on low incomes, means a high earner could get the same assistance as a worker on minimum wage.
The Poverty Alliance claimed the measures were “not only inadequate and poorly targeted” but also evidence of a “lack of imagination”.
Giugliano, who is the SNP’s policy development convener, tweeted the criticism made by the group, writing: “This quote from @PovertyAlliance really needs to make Scot Gov stop and think. Do better.”
Speaking to the Record, he said of the £150 policy: “I don’t think we should be sticking to a comfort zone on things like this.”
He said the Government had to help the “poorest in society” and criticised wealthier people being entitled to the cash.
He added: “I completely agree that anybody on £80,000 in council band D getting this support is not quite the same as people at the other end of the scale.
“There are people who are seriously struggling and that’s who I think we need to be targeting.” Asked if criticisms by anti-poverty groups should set alarm bells ringing in the Scottish Government, he said: “Absolutely ... when organisations like these make a nice, powerful case, then you do need to stop and listen.”
Labour MSP Pam DuncanGlancy said: “It is a damning indictment of the SNP’s failed policy that even their own policy convenor can’t support them.” ● Glasgow City Council is the latest local authority to announce a three per cent council tax rise in April.
Edinburgh and East Lothian have already passed similar tax rises, which amount to £42 for a Band D homeowner.