Fair enough

Nicola Sturgeon keeps repeating the “fair, equal and democratic society” line.

I would imagine most would agree, but may not know, it is fair that the top 3000 income tax payers in the UK will contribute more to the taxman than the bottom nine million in this financial year. This is according to figures released by HM Revenue & Customs.

Data from the Taxpayers’ Alliance show that the average household pays £274 more in taxes than it receives in benefits and services, whilst the top 10 per cent of households pay £30,023 each more in tax than they receive in state services.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Notwithstanding this situation, the SNP and Labour would still pursue the populist ploy to further tax the rich. In Scotland their target for this increase in tax is the £150,000-plus earner. There are only 18,000 such people in Scotland.

If the proposed rate of 50p was implemented, the extra cash generated would be £100 million, which is about a fifth of the £470m raised from sporting estates to be put at risk by the proposed land tax.

If 1000 of these high earners chose to leave Scotland, there would be no gain to the tax coffers in Scotland. This is yet another populist and doctrinaire policy based on the politics of envy and division.

Donald Lewis

Beech Hill

Gifford, East Lothian