Greens secure taxes on super-rich to fund schools and childcare
The Scottish Greens have secured the expansion of free school breakfast clubs and support for former Mossmorran workers in Fife, paid for by taxes on private jet flights and million pound homes.
Scottish Greens proposals accepted by the Scottish Government include a new tax on the 12,000 private jet flights taken in Scotland every year, a ‘Mansion Tax’ on homes worth over £1 million and an end to tax breaks for shooting estates. These efforts will raise tens of millions of pounds for services including an expansion of free breakfast clubs for primary school pupils.
The party’s Co-leader Ross Greer said:
“The devil is always in the detail, but we are glad that the Scottish Government has accepted Green proposals to fund more childcare provision through tax rises for the super-rich.
“Our children deserve the best possible start in life and their families need support to save money on the cost of the school day. It is right that super-rich private jet users, those in million pound homes and shooting estate owners pay their fair share to fund this support.
“Families across the country are really struggling right now, but the super-rich just keep getting wealthier. By taxing them fairly we will raise vital funds for local services like schools and social care.
“There are almost 12,000 private jet flights in Scotland every year. They are twenty times more destructive to the planet than regular planes. We may not have the power to ban them, but we can make them pay for the damage they are doing.
“The Scottish Greens have long called for an end to tax breaks for billionaire-owned shooting estates. I’m glad that the government has accepted this proposal and will now make these wealthy landowners start paying their taxes.
“I have repeatedly urged the First Minister to support Exxon’s Mossmorran workers and their communities. This transition fund is the kind of support we asked for, but we were clear that businesses should only receive grants from it if they guarantee job interviews to those about to lose their jobs at Exxon’s facility."
Ross added:
“There are areas where the Scottish Greens want the government to go further. More could certainly be done to cut the cost of transport and childcare, for example.
“Labour may have walked away having achieved nothing, but the Scottish Greens will continue working to secure more changes which save families money and protect our planet.”