SNP told to shrink economic footprint and cut taxes after 'abysmal mismanagement'
SNP ministers have been told to reduce the Scottish Government’s spending, employment and tax burden.
John Swinney’s government has been urged to address the “abysmal mismanagement” of Scotland’s economy by cutting tax and public spending.
The Scottish Conservatives are calling on SNP ministers to shrink the financial impact of the Scottish Government, accusing Mr Swinney’s administration of a “ failure to get a grip on public spending”.
The appeal comes after Finance Secretary Shona Robison revealed a £5 billion black hole in the nation's finances by the end of the decade for both day-to-day revenue spending and to fund capital infrastructure projects.
The Scottish Conservatives will use a Holyrood debate to call on the Scottish Government to follow their plans which would result in cutting tax and spending on public services.
But in response to the appeal, Ms Robison has pointed the “disastrous economic legacy” of the previous Conservative UK government, which Keir Starmer has “doubled down on”, as hampering Scotland’s finances.
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Scottish ministers are also under pressure over the bill for social security, which is forecast to grow to £9bn by 2029. The Scottish Government intends to make £1bn of efficiency savings by 2030.
Murdo Fraser, Scottish Tory business and economy spokesperson, said: “The SNP government’s abysmal mismanagement of Scotland’s finances has resulted in a huge black hole in welfare spending, unsustainable borrowing and a deficit twice the size of the rest of the UK.
“All this while Scots pay the highest income tax in the UK and see essential services crumbling.
He added: “Meanwhile, the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s damning verdict has been that the SNP government is incapable of living within its means. They said that ministers’ failure to get a grip on public spending threatens Scotland’s future financial sustainability and funding of public services.
“Shona Robison has been unable to say how she’ll make the £1bn savings she admits are necessary. Meanwhile, Scotland’s economy is being held back by a hostile atmosphere for business, excessive regulation, high taxes and the economic lunacy of the Labour and SNP opposition to the North Sea oil and gas sector.
“SNP ministers must now adopt the detailed plans for savings outlined by the Scottish Conservatives, which would cut taxes and wasteful public spending, reduce the public sector to a reasonable size and direct taxpayers’ money to frontline services.”
Ms Robison said: “Thanks to the actions of the SNP government, people in Scotland benefit from a range of policies not available elsewhere in the UK – including free tuition, free prescriptions and the removal of peak rail fares – and the majority of income tax payers in Scotland pay less than south of the border.
“But we are still feeling the disastrous economic legacy of the last Tory government – which Keir Starmer has now doubled down on. Rather than trying to rewrite history, the Tories should be apologising to the people of Scotland.
“But whether Labour or Tory, the fact is that Scotland cannot afford to have vital decisions about our public finances made by Westminster governments any longer. We need the fresh start of independence.”
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