UK Government holds most controls for Scots economy

I was fascinated to read Liz Smith’s May 9 column in the PA explaining that it is‘an incredibly difficult time for the economy’whilst attacking the Scottish Government for their economic policies and calling for a decrease in tax rates for the highest earners in Scotland.

Throughout the article Liz Smith points her finger accusingly towards the Scottish Government’s spending of their limited budget rather than the catastrophic economic governance of her own party atwestminster.

The inconvenient truth for Liz Smith is that in Scotland the UK Government holds most economic controls, and that the Tories have a shambolic record in executing them.

Brexit has been a disaster for Scotland and each day provides a new example of an economic problem caused by that policy.

It is the UK Government’s own departments that best demonstrate this as the Office for National Statistics reported that the UK economy grew only by a sluggish 0.1 per cent in the first quarter of 2023 and contracted by 0.3 per cent in March to leave it lagging behind other countries, whilst the Office for Budget Responsibility has stated the economic impact of Brexit is twice that of Covid.

That is before we even mention the particularly chaotic mismanagement of Liz Truss in her brief time in charge where the pound fell to record levels, the economy plummeted, mortgage rates soared, and pensions were put at risk.

Astonishingly Liz Smith suggests that‘we are unashamedly a party that believes in economic growth’. Well, the evidence suggests otherwise.

This economic damage has had a profound effect in Scotland and is being felt acutely across our society.

Perth and Kinross CAB recently revealed that there has been an increase of 27 per cent in individuals reaching out for support over 2022/23, a record year for their services, and the cost of living is the greatest factor for that.

It is clear to me that alleviating the pressure on those experiencing poverty - the root cause of which is Westminster shenanigans should be our political priority and that is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s policymaking.

The Scottish Child Payment is unique to Scotland and is projected to lift around 50,000 children out of poverty in 2023/24, whilst locally the Investing in Communities Fund has awarded significant funding to Letham4all so that they can deliver a range of community actions over the next three years that aim to tackle poverty and inequality, and to make our communities better and healthier, where everyone can reach their potential from cradle to grave.

That is where money is best spent, giving opportunity to everyone.

In contrast the Tories solution is to lower taxes for highest earners driven by a mistruth that Scotland’s tax policy encourages a‘brain drain’.