YouGov: Support for Greens on revenue and public services
For immediate release 19 April 2011
Ahead of the publication of their manifesto, the Scottish Greens today published the results of a YouGov poll conducted for the party over the weekend showing that a majority of those expressing a view support the Greens' position - that the Scottish Government should find ways to limit cuts to Scottish public services by raising taxes and other revenue. The party has made investment in public services central to its campaign for the 2011 Holyrood election, and over recent days has set out plans both for substantial investment in public services like transport, education and housing, and for additional revenue to fund those commitments.
Patrick Harvie said:
"The Tories and the Lib Dems may be taking the heat for the cuts to Scottish public services, but neither Labour nor the SNP have put forward a credible alternative, and they too should take a share of the blame. They are terrified of looking even vaguely left-wing, and they dare not tell the public the truth, which is that if public services are to be protected, the next Scottish Government will have to raise more money to fund them. As so often, though, the public are ahead of the politicians, and as this poll shows, there's clear support for the position only the Greens are setting out. Our plans would bring in more revenue from big business and the better off, while still bringing bills down for most Scottish households.
"Labour and the SNP have offered only empty rhetoric so far, and whoever becomes First Minister they will have to break a pledge to the Scottish public. They will either have to cut public services further and faster, as the Tories admit they prefer, or they will have to raise more revenue, as the Greens have argued is essential. That is the true choice in this election, and it's the reason why only a second vote for the Greens can be relied upon to protect the jobs and services the Scottish people want to see."
YouGov polled 1,135 Scottish adults online between 13th - 15th April 2011. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Scottish adults (aged 18+).
The question asked was as follows:
The UK Government has cut funding to the Scottish Parliament by