North Ayrshire and Arran MP Katy Clark welcomed the news that the SNP have ditched plans for their flagship policy, the local income tax.

Katy said, “I welcome the news that the SNP have scrapped their plans for a local income tax. It would have disadvantaged many who are on average pay or below but are eligible to pay income tax.”

“One of the biggest problems about this tax is that it would not apply to investment, land or share income, meaning that those who go out to work would have to take the full burden. A tax system which favours the wealthiest and does not take into account working people’s ability to pay is not fair. As has been said often this tax would have meant that the wealthy laird in the castle who lives off their land and financial investments would pay nothing whilst those that worked on the estate would pay the tax. ”

The decision to ditch the local income tax is not the first manifesto pledge to be unfulfilled by the SNP government who are finding it hard to put manifesto pledges into action. It is clear that their polices were not thought through or costed but simply put together to catch headlines and win populist votes.”