It’s time highest earners paid their way

We’re only one month in to 2017 and already it is proving to be quite the political year.

As dramatic events continue to unfold around the world, history is also being made a little bit closer to home.

The Scottish Parliament is currently debating next year’s budget.

It is by far the most powerful budget in devolved Scotland, with new responsibilities on taxation now set in Edinburgh for the first time ever.

Labour fought the last election on a clear manifesto promise of increasing the top rate of tax, the additional rate, to 50p on those earning £150,000 a year.

It’s the top one per cent of the population and we think that they should pay their fair share. It would go straight into education.

But the SNP did not support this – despite claiming that they are progressive – and are instead pursing a plan to drive hundreds of millions of pounds of cuts through vital services.

Every day as an MSP, I hear from constituents who need my help.

More and more, it’s people who used to rely on a vital service which isn’t there any more.

It could be the extra few hours of support a disabled child receives, care for someone’s older parents or repairs to a constituent’s home which keep being delayed.

We all know that vital services are being cut – and the SNP government in Edinburgh now has a chance to put an end to it.

The thing is, Nicola Sturgeon’s ministers won’t.

Local SNP politicians who have stood on a manifesto of being progressive, describing themselves as ‘anti-austerity’, have voted through the first stage of this budget which will keep the cuts coming, placing incredible stress on the local council.

I’ll keep opposing this budget and making the case for using the powers to stop the cuts.

Gordon Aikman

Last week brought the incredibly sad news that Gordon Aikman passed away.

I was fortunate enough to work closely with Gordon during his time as a researcher in the Scottish Parliament.

His commitment to fundraising for a cure for Motor Neurone Disease is a true inspiration.

The persistence and dedication he showed was phenomenal, raising over £500,000 for the disease which killed him, so that others don’t have to suffer as he did.

His husband, friends and family are in my prayers.