FM refuses to rule out tax rises in next budget

John Swinney has been pressed over whether the Scottish Government will put up taxes in next year’s Holyrood budget - with the Conservatives claiming their research shows Scots are now worse off than they were when the SNP came to power.

- KATRINE BUSSEY, PA SCOTLAND

Russell Findlay, the Scottish Tory leader, said analysis of Office for National Statistics data by his party “revealed the average Scottish household now has less disposable income in real terms than they did in 2007”.

Scottish Conservative figures indicated that average disposable household income per person has fallen from £22,984 the year the SNP came to power to £22,908 in 2023, the most recent year for which numbers are available.

With the Scottish Government due to unveil its budget tax and spending plans for 2026-27 early next year, Mr Russell pressed Mr Swinney to rule out tax rises.