Scottish Conservative and Unionist Craig Hoy MSP says Rachel Reeves’ Budget is a “hammer blow” for workers and businesses locally.
Mr Hoy says the £26 billion worth of tax rises announced by the Labour Chancellor will be “deeply damaging” for the economy and will be even more keenly felt in Scotland, due to the SNP making it the highest taxed part of the United Kingdom.
Mr Hoy says that constituents in South Scotland are being clobbered by two left-wing governments who are hitting them with higher bills and failing to focus on growing the economy.
He criticised Rachel Reeves decision to keep the Energy Profits Levy in place which is “destroying” jobs in the oil and gas sector, with up to 1,000 skilled workers losing their jobs each month.
Mr Hoy also hit out at the Chancellor for only making extremely minor changes to her “cruel” family farm tax, which he says will ruin family farming locally, which is a vital industry in South Scotland, and result in higher prices in the supermarkets.
Mr Hoy says constituents here will now be concerned that John Swinney and the SNP will follow suit and deliver their own “high tax” budget in January.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Craig Hoy MSP said: “Rachel Reeves’ tax-raising Budget is a hammer blow for workers and businesses across South Scotland.
“The billions worth of tax rises announced by Labour’s Chancellor will be deeply damaging for economic growth and will be even more keenly felt in South Scotland due to the SNP making Scotland the highest taxed part of the United Kingdom.
“Workers, families and businesses are being clobbered by two left-wing governments who are failing to prioritise growing the economy and constantly hitting them with higher bills to pay for a ballooning welfare bill.
“Rachel Reeves decision to keep the Energy Profits Levy is disastrous for the oil and gas sector, which is on its knees and crying out for help. The industry has made it clear that the EPL is destroying jobs, with 1,000 skilled workers being thrown on the scrapheap each month, but Labour have arrogantly failed to listen to them.
“The Chancellor also confirmed how out-of-touch she is with rural communities by barely making any changes to her cruel family farm tax. That will sound the death knell for many family farms in South Scotland and hit consumers with higher prices in the supermarket.
“Those living and working in South Scotland will now be deeply concerned that John Swinney and the SNP will follow suit and impose their own high-tax budget in January.
“The Scottish Conservatives instead are fully focused on boosting economic growth to bring down people’s bills and to help invest in rural frontline services in South Scotland which have been wilfully neglected by the SNP over the last two decades.”
