Scots again play second fiddle to SNP indy obsession

THE SNP's cynical and predictable budget confirmed their only economic policies are to hit hardworking Scots again and again with higher taxes to fund their out-of-control spending on benefits.

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Shona Robison's budget hammers Scots with the highest taxes in the UK.

It does nothing to rein in wasteful spending, to support business or promote the economic growth Scotland desperately needs.

The Scottish Conservatives demanded an SNP budget that would cut taxes, prioritise growth, reward those who work hard and do the right thing - and encourage aspiration.

Instead, what we got was an exercise in sleight of hand that did nothing to tackle the underlying problems that the SNP's policies have created during their time in power over the last two decades.

We outlined a range of measures that would begin to reverse the decline caused by the SNP's mismanagement.

The bare minimum required was a rise in the thresholds at which people start paying income tax and the Higher Rate of income tax-in line with inflation.

We proposed a cut to 19% in the rate of income tax paid up to the Higher Rate. Those measures would have saved taxpayers up to £718 a year.

BY CONTRAST, no one in lower tax bands will save more than an insulting £32 a year as a result of Shona Robison's tinkering with those thresholds, while middle-earners will continue to fork out thousands more.