GREEN MSP COMMENTS ON ECONOMIC PRIORITIES
Commenting on publication today (3 Mar) of the Scottish Government's new economic strategy, Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, said:
“Tackling inequality must be at the heart of Scotland’s economic strategy, given the appalling gap between the rich and the rest, and the opportunity we have to create prosperity with our skills and resources. A resilient Scottish economy should be based on Scottish businesses and small enterprises, not multi-national companies who jump ship for a new tax-break.
“The Scottish Government’s assurance that it doesn’t want a race to the bottom on corporation tax is a notable shift in position, but it remains a concern that it’s still putting so much faith in growing exports when it could be focusing much more on strengthening our local economies. It’s also interesting to note the plan to devise a replacement tax for Air Passenger Duty. The highly profitable aviation sector does not pay its fair share of tax, and it is essential that it pays for its environmental impact rather than simply passing costs onto consumers.
“We also need to see the Scottish Government showing how serious it is about tackling tax-dodging multinationals. Companies such as Amazon have benefited from millions of pounds in grants from the taxpayer. This sort of corporate welfare must stop.”