Tories urge Scottish Government to lower business tax burden

A call has been made to reduce the tax burden on Scottish businesses.

The Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Tim Eagle, is backing a demand from Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay to reduce the tax burden currently levied on businesses north of the border.

Buckie-based Mr Eagle, a Highlands and Islands MSP, said: “Businesses throughout rural Scotland are groaning under the weight of taxes and charges.

“Whether it is farmers and crofters, or business in the hospitality sector, the message is the same – reduce the tax burden!

“Many of our businesses operate with very small profit margins and really cannot easily cope with yet more tax demands from governments whether it originates from Holyrood or Westminster.

“If politicians spent as much time thinking of new ways they could help businesses, rather than ways they can tax businesses, I suspect we would live in a much more prosperous country. You can’t tax your way to prosperity.”

At First Minister’s Questions recently, Mr Findlay said Scotland’s businesses needed “game-changing” tax cuts to create more jobs, boost economic growth and generate extra funding for public services.

He also quoted business owners who are hoping the SNP pass on business rates relief and reduce taxes.

Mr Findlay also highlighted a new report from the SNP-led finance committee report that said it was “deeply concerned” about the Scottish Government’s approach to public finances.

He said: “In John Swinney’s topsy-turvy world, hitting hard-working Scots with high taxes will somehow boost our struggling economy.

“Everyone is pleading with the SNP to change direction: business owners, hospitality groups, chambers of commerce, academics, the Scottish Parliament finance committee, even some SNP backbenchers.

“Scotland’s tax system needs to change. Higher taxes are stopping businesses from growing and preventing them from creating jobs, which would generate more money for public services.

“Over the last three years, SNP ministers received over £600 million from the UK government to provide rates relief for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses. But struggling Scottish businesses have barely received one-tenth of that.

“Scotland’s businesses need rates relief but more than that, they need a game-changing tax cut.

“So, in this year’s budget, will John Swinney start to repair some of the damage the SNP have done?”

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