First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf (Image: Pete Summers/PA Wire)

If Humza Yousaf increases tax, the extra cash must go to public services

Record View says in so many key areas – like housing, health and education – Scotland seems to be going backwards instead of making any great strides forward.

by · Daily Record

It is only right that Humza Yousaf should use the Scottish Budget next week to look at ways to make the rich pay their fair share for public services.

He is widely reported to be considering hitting higher rate tax payers to help fill a £1.5billion black hole in Scotland’s finances. But the problem for the First Minister is there is so little evidence that extra public spending in Scotland is delivering better public services.

In so many key areas – like housing, health and education – Scotland seems to be going backwards instead of making any great strides forward.

Scotland is in danger of having the highest tax in the UK, while our government provides public services that are no better than those south of the Border.

But there’s no doubt that most high-earners would see those extra tax pounds as money well spent if there are better schools, hospitals and local services. So if the Scottish Government does increase income tax, they must use those extra funds wisely.

The SNP/Green government cannot waste any more money on grandstanding and fruitless legal cases which look like nothing more than political point-scoring.

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Already hundreds of thousands of pounds have been spent on the hopeless challenge against Alister Jack’s block on the gender recognition reforms.

The fees could go up to £2million if Yousaf tries to take it to the Supreme Court. That is exactly the kind of wasteful spending that scuppers the argument for progressive taxation in Scotland.

There is no point in making Scottish taxpayers give up more of their hard-earned wages just to line the pockets of lawyers.

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If Humza does decide tax must go up for thousands of Scots, the money must go towards our priority public services which are in dire need of support.

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