Except this isn’t what has happened at all. Spending has risen rapidly in England in recent years resulting in a greatly expanded budget for Scotland as well through Barnett consequentials. The idea that budgetary restraint in Scotland is a result of ‘cuts’ by the UK Government is a myth. The UK Government hasn’t followed a policy of austerity since the late 2010s and has been positively free spending since the start of the Covid pandemic (almost half decade ago now).
The difference is that SG has loaded up on ever more and ever larger spending commitments which it struggles to pay for with a tax base that is growing notedly more slowly than the rest of the UK.
MacNostradamus
Right on the money and the public are becoming more disillusioned with the SNP but that’s not entirely based on this.
I mean, how’d the promise of devolved powers go? Yeah, they’ve no interest in giving up power.
‘forced into raising income tax’… hardly. Free uni and free prescriptions are great, but they are still a decision (not arguing having them, but its one example of how this post is misleading).
The missive is entirely dishonest banding the Scottish electorate as one united cause, especially with ‘weakness’ and ‘vulnerability’ thrown in.
And on come the new found tory minded Labour vote, fingers in ears going la la la la its not true.
Tax raising powers always was the trap. With Labour advocating ” full use ” of the powers week after week, it is going to be very interesting, if it ever happens, when Labour gain Bute House.
What rabbits will be pulled from the bag when they back the promise of increased funding for the NHS, councils and all the rest of the promises of magic billions, pirate treasure, Smuag gold mountains and unicorns to finance it.
It always was the case to force us into being the highest taxed part of this Isle just to prove we can’t sustain ourselves, that we will go broke, when we go it alone.
It was announced today the growth in renewable energy market jobs and will keep rising for time to come. Apart from employment, the profit will go to the Exchequer and we will have to tax on to protect a public from the punishment that same Exchequer will foist on us.
The only manoeuvre, THE ONLY MANOEUVRE, Labour can bring to the table of power in Scotland is either that full use of tax power yield, or cuts so drastic to pay for its promises will be the axing of free prescriptions, uni, babyboxes, child poverty payments and any other benefits derided by them as ” freebies “.
And then you can bet yer mortgage debates will happen asking about the viability and benefits of devolution itself.
Still, some on this sub will be so proud to finally pay ther red, white and blue bedroom tax at last.
Devolution is a poisoned chalice unless your party controls Westminster. The whole of the UK has suffered cuts for more than a decade, but in Scotland the SNP take the blame on behalf of the tories. Down south they blame the tories.
The SNP should have pursued independence with a bit more urgency – now the policy of becoming comfortable as some sort of colonial governors is coming back to haunt them. If you’re going to get the blame anyway, it may as well be as a result of your own policies when you have full control.
So the “only” choice is cuts or higher tax? Oh no! The govt has to make a difficult decision! Must be the Tories fault.
Is the argument here they’d rather raise other taxes? Or borrow more? Presumably an independent Scotland would have to make difficult decisions too, and in even worse economic conditions.
Scotland certainly has the power to not be freezing council tax for people like me who can afford to pay more, so why is Yousaf doing so? This notion that it’s only power is income tax is false. It can also alter business rates.
It has devolved powers over social security and barely uses them.
People really should inform themselves of what can actually be done rather than obsessing about winning points in an imaginary nationalist vs unionist battle.
The SNP budget is Labours fault? Despite Labour not having been in power for a decade? This is a fucking stretch.
If what Labour were suggesting was economically illiterate then why didn’t the SNP just.. not do it?
The SNP have governed with short termism their whole stretch in Holyrood on the deluded belief independence is just around the corner. Now we’re all paying for their shortsightedness.
Only one answer independence and if they wouldn’t allow us to have another referendum, we’ll need to take it by force. FREEDOM !!!!
All you needed to see the devolved powers means nothing is the Gender reform Bill rejection. “You have control over health.” “Okay well we’re going to allow people to transition easier.” “NO no no not like that.” Anything Westminster doesn’t like will die on its arse.
Pretty much spot on
SNP – raises income tax to levels much higher than England.
15 comments
I thought we binned National Collective
Except this isn’t what has happened at all. Spending has risen rapidly in England in recent years resulting in a greatly expanded budget for Scotland as well through Barnett consequentials. The idea that budgetary restraint in Scotland is a result of ‘cuts’ by the UK Government is a myth. The UK Government hasn’t followed a policy of austerity since the late 2010s and has been positively free spending since the start of the Covid pandemic (almost half decade ago now).
The difference is that SG has loaded up on ever more and ever larger spending commitments which it struggles to pay for with a tax base that is growing notedly more slowly than the rest of the UK.
MacNostradamus
Right on the money and the public are becoming more disillusioned with the SNP but that’s not entirely based on this.
I mean, how’d the promise of devolved powers go? Yeah, they’ve no interest in giving up power.
‘forced into raising income tax’… hardly. Free uni and free prescriptions are great, but they are still a decision (not arguing having them, but its one example of how this post is misleading).
The missive is entirely dishonest banding the Scottish electorate as one united cause, especially with ‘weakness’ and ‘vulnerability’ thrown in.
And on come the new found tory minded Labour vote, fingers in ears going la la la la its not true.
Tax raising powers always was the trap. With Labour advocating ” full use ” of the powers week after week, it is going to be very interesting, if it ever happens, when Labour gain Bute House.
What rabbits will be pulled from the bag when they back the promise of increased funding for the NHS, councils and all the rest of the promises of magic billions, pirate treasure, Smuag gold mountains and unicorns to finance it.
It always was the case to force us into being the highest taxed part of this Isle just to prove we can’t sustain ourselves, that we will go broke, when we go it alone.
It was announced today the growth in renewable energy market jobs and will keep rising for time to come. Apart from employment, the profit will go to the Exchequer and we will have to tax on to protect a public from the punishment that same Exchequer will foist on us.
The only manoeuvre, THE ONLY MANOEUVRE, Labour can bring to the table of power in Scotland is either that full use of tax power yield, or cuts so drastic to pay for its promises will be the axing of free prescriptions, uni, babyboxes, child poverty payments and any other benefits derided by them as ” freebies “.
And then you can bet yer mortgage debates will happen asking about the viability and benefits of devolution itself.
Still, some on this sub will be so proud to finally pay ther red, white and blue bedroom tax at last.
Devolution is a poisoned chalice unless your party controls Westminster. The whole of the UK has suffered cuts for more than a decade, but in Scotland the SNP take the blame on behalf of the tories. Down south they blame the tories.
The SNP should have pursued independence with a bit more urgency – now the policy of becoming comfortable as some sort of colonial governors is coming back to haunt them. If you’re going to get the blame anyway, it may as well be as a result of your own policies when you have full control.
So the “only” choice is cuts or higher tax? Oh no! The govt has to make a difficult decision! Must be the Tories fault.
Is the argument here they’d rather raise other taxes? Or borrow more? Presumably an independent Scotland would have to make difficult decisions too, and in even worse economic conditions.
Scotland certainly has the power to not be freezing council tax for people like me who can afford to pay more, so why is Yousaf doing so? This notion that it’s only power is income tax is false. It can also alter business rates.
It has devolved powers over social security and barely uses them.
People really should inform themselves of what can actually be done rather than obsessing about winning points in an imaginary nationalist vs unionist battle.
The SNP budget is Labours fault? Despite Labour not having been in power for a decade? This is a fucking stretch.
If what Labour were suggesting was economically illiterate then why didn’t the SNP just.. not do it?
The SNP have governed with short termism their whole stretch in Holyrood on the deluded belief independence is just around the corner. Now we’re all paying for their shortsightedness.
Only one answer independence and if they wouldn’t allow us to have another referendum, we’ll need to take it by force. FREEDOM !!!!
All you needed to see the devolved powers means nothing is the Gender reform Bill rejection. “You have control over health.” “Okay well we’re going to allow people to transition easier.” “NO no no not like that.” Anything Westminster doesn’t like will die on its arse.
Pretty much spot on
SNP – raises income tax to levels much higher than England.
*why would England do this to us?*
You literally couldn’t make this shit up.