Scottish Greens urge John Swinney to push devolution to 'limit' on Budget tax rises

The Greens will use a debate at Holyrood this week to put pressure on the SNP Government on tax.

The Scottish Greens are tying their support for John Swinney’s first Budget to a series of tax rises to raise funds for public services. They want the SNP Government to “stretch devolution to the limit” with extra levies on private jets, supermarkets and cruise ships.

Relations between the SNP and the Greens soured this year when former First Minister Humza Yousaf kicked the junior partners out of Government. But the Greens are still seen as Swinney’s best option for striking a deal when his draft Budget is published in December.

Income tax levels are already significantly higher than they are south of the border and the Greens will not push for more rises in this area.

However, in a pre-Budget debate on Wednesday, the Greens will urge Swinney to use all the tax powers at his disposal to plug any spending black hole.

The motion will call for the Scottish Government to explore further use of existing tax powers, as well as reviewing tax reliefs and other subsidies for big business. In practice, “existing” tax powers is a reference to higher business rates for supermarkets that sell tobacco and alcohol.

They also believe councils should have the power to introduce a levy on polluting cruise ships.

Green MSP Ross Greer said: “Scotland’s public finances are in a dire state, largely due to years of cuts from Westminster. The Scottish Government isn't powerless though. Even with the limited powers of devolution we must do everything we can to protect people and planet.

“The Scottish Greens have worked with the SNP before to deliver progressive budgets. For example, £1.5 billion pounds of extra money goes into services like the NHS every year as a result of Green tax policies. We are ready to cooperate again, if the SNP will join us in taking the bold decisions needed to tackle child poverty and the climate crisis. Pointing to the good work done before and blaming Westminster for the current mess, however true, just won’t cut it.

“We have shown how much good the Scottish Parliament can do when it makes brave choices. Just look at the impact of Green policies like free bus travel for young people or scrapping all school meal debt. And yes, we asked those on higher incomes and second home owners to pay a bit more, allowing us to do this despite savage budget cuts at Westminster.

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He added: “In the last few months, the SNP has chosen to reintroduce peak rail fares previously removed by the Greens, cut funding for nature projects and drop the commitment to free school meals for all P6 and P7 pupils. They claimed to have no choice, but that’s just not true. Millions of pounds a year still goes towards tax breaks for big businesses and wealthy landowners and to climate-wrecking road expansion projects.

“If the government are prepared to make different choices, ones which better protect people and planet, then the Greens are ready to work with them on a budget which builds the fairer, greener Scotland we know is still possible.”

SNP insiders are nervous about the Budget and speculation persists a failure to reach a deal will lead to an early Holyrood election. If the Greens do not play ball with Swinney, he is likely to switch his focus to the Lib Dems.

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