The SNP has called for cuts to whisky tax following new figures showing a significant drop in revenue linked to changes in UK alcohol duty.

The issue has been raised ahead of the election campaign, with the party arguing that current policy is placing pressure on one of Scotland’s most important industries.

Treasury figures indicate revenues are £1.1 billion lower than forecast since the introduction of a revised duty system in 2023.

In the current financial year, revenues are also reported to be down by £94 million, with duty having risen by 17 percent over the past three years.

The whisky industry, which plays a central role in the Highland economy, has faced sustained challenges as costs rise and export markets remain competitive.

For communities across Speyside and the wider Highlands, the sector supports jobs, investment and local supply chains.

The debate has also drawn in wider political tensions, with criticism directed at UK Government policy and its impact on Scottish producers.

SNP candidate Eilidh Munro said the focus should be on supporting the industry directly.

“If Douglas Alexander wants to help Scotland’s whisky trade, he should cut his crippling whisky tax.

“Once again he’s been caught out while trying to play politics with Scottish industry, our premier product deserves better.

“The Labour Party promised to back our national drink “to the hilt”, but instead Scottish Labour Party MPs waltzed through the voting lobbies to hammer the industry.

“Whisky is more than just our national drink, it is jobs and communities, nowhere is that felt more than here in the Highlands, but Westminster simply doesn’t care.

“John Swinney has led from the front, fighting for a deal on our whisky, that’s what you get from his strong and reliable leadership that is and will always be on Scotland’s side.

“Time and time again Scotland’s premier industries are treated as expendable by Westminster, it’s no wonder more and more Scots are concluding we need a fresh start with independence.”

The figures come at a time when the whisky sector is already navigating wider pressures, including global competition, rising production costs and changing market conditions.

Industry bodies have previously warned that duty increases risk undermining growth and investment across Scotland’s distilling regions.

At the same time, supporters of the current system argue that alcohol duty plays a role in public finances and wider policy considerations.

The issue has become another point of debate during the election campaign, highlighting differing views on how best to support key industries.

For the Highlands, where whisky is both an economic driver and part of cultural identity, the outcome of that debate carries particular significance.