Kate Forbes appears to have signalled an end to the SNP’s policy of continually raising taxes after admitting they have undermined Scotland’s reputation as a business-friendly country.
The deputy first minister said she accepted that the imposition of unexpected tax increases on higher earners, introduced under the former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and expanded upon by her successor Humza Yousaf, did little to help create a stable economy.
“The signals from this government, led by John Swinney, is you cannot continually raise tax,” she said of the new levies which mean that some now pay as much as £5,000 more a year than they would in England.
“The tax strategy just published explicitly commits us to creating a stable environment where we don’t introduce unexpected tax increases.”
Forbes, who is the cabinet secretary for economy, said that, although tax was not a “dominant” issue raised by investors she had spoken to, it did have an impact on Scotland’s reputation and its ability to attract talent and investment.
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