The SNP has called for a U-turn on Tory plans to “hammer millions of low paid workers with tax rises” – after Rishi Sunak confirmed Tory plans to freeze the personal allowance.
Alison Thewliss (pictured) challenged the Chancellor to ditch the policy and increase the personal allowance in line with inflation, as part of a wider package of measures to boost incomes, and follow Scotland’s lead in delivering a more progressive tax system.
The SNP Shadow Chancellor said the UK Budget had “made life even more difficult” for low-income households and will worsen the growing Tory poverty crisis with damaging policies including the freezing of the personal allowance, the public sector pay freeze, and cuts to Universal Credit.
Commenting, SNP Shadow Chancellor Alison Thewliss MP said:
“The Chancellor must ditch damaging Tory plans to hammer millions of low paid workers with tax rises at the worst possible time.
“The personal allowance must be increased in line with inflation as part of a wider package of measures to boost incomes and tackle the growing Tory poverty crisis.
“Instead of imposing cuts to the lowest paid the Tories should follow Scotland’s lead with a more progressive tax system.
“Covid has exposed the deep-seated inequalities that exist under the broken Westminster system but the Tory Budget utterly failed to deliver the investment and change required to build a fairer society.
“Instead, the Tories are making poverty and inequality even worse by cutting household incomes with a public sector pay freeze, tax rises and cuts to Universal Credit.
“Scotland faces a choice of two futures – the long-term damage of Tory cuts and Brexit under the broken Westminster system, or the opportunity to secure our place in Europe and a strong, fair and green recovery as an independent country.
“The question at the election in May will be this: who has the right to decide what sort of country Scotland should be after the pandemic – people in Scotland or Boris Johnson?
“Who do we trust most to deliver a fair recovery – ourselves or Westminster?
“With both votes SNP we can deliver a strong, fair and green recovery and put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands – not Boris Johnson’s.”
