Council tax

Labour’s plan for a smash and grab raid on the public pockets to pay for their cuts to public spending has been revealed after Labour leader Iain Gray backed moves by the Labour leader of Glasgow City Council to put council tax up and get the money for a council tax freeze.

The SNP Government today confirmed it intends to freeze council tax for the fourth year in a row next year as it works to ease the impact of London cuts on Scottish families.

Householders across Scotland have once again been spared a hike in their council tax, after MSPs endorsed the Scottish Government’s £70 million funding package to compensate local authorities for freezing the tax.

As the House of Commons debates calls for the UK Government to follow the Scottish Government by introducing a council tax freeze in England, Labour and the LibDems showed themselves to be in a confused position whilst the Tories played catch up by seeing sense in putting more money back in people's pockets in difficult economic times.

The SNP have rounded on Labour hypocrisy over the council tax freeze.

The SNP has condemnded Labour plans to increase taxes on pensioners and homeowners.

Reports in the Herald newspaper suggest Glasgow’s Labour Council, led by Stephen Purcell, are planning a council tax increase of over £150 for Glasgow householders – with a revaluation of council tax bands.

The SNP is the only party committed to a council tax freeze, as Labour reveal plans to increase council tax bills.

Commenting on confirmation that council tax in England will increase by an average of 3% compared to Scotland where it is frozen, SNP MP for Glasgow East, John Mason, pointed to the difference as an example of how the SNP Government is delivering for Scotland whilst Labour fails south of the border.

Labour's candidate in the Glenrothes by-election has described the SNP Government's council tax freeze as a "creditable" policy thus highlighting splits and disarray in the Labour campaign.