[Scottish Parliament, 30.10.2024] Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has called Labour’s first UK Budget a “dreadful budget” for the Highlands and Islands and for rural Scotland.
The Scottish Conservative MSP raised concerns over increased Employer’s National Insurance Contributions, whisky duty hikes and the loss of agricultural property relief, measures he says will deeply harm Scotland’s rural economy.
Mr Halcro Johnston said:
“This budget is a disaster for the Highlands and Islands and for Scotland’s rural communities.
“It shows just how little Labour understand rural Scotland, or how little they care about the individuals and businesses that live and operate here.
“The Chancellor has claimed she wants to protect “small family farms, but it’s clear Rachel Reeves has absolutely no idea what a small family farm actually looks like or how Labour’s cut to agricultural property relief will impact on rural Scotland.
“This decision demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding about the challenges facing farming, or of the consequences this new tax burden will have on farming families and on much-needed future investment in the sector.
“And with distilleries right across the Highlands and Islands, whisky is not only an iconic global export for Scotland, it is also a vital local employer in many of the remote, rural, and island communities across my region.
“But instead of backing this critical sector, and the local jobs and livelihoods it supports, Labour sees it as nothing more than a cash cow to heap further taxes on.
“Labour are boasting that the budget will raise £40bn in additional tax revenue. But what they won’t admit is that this money will come straight out of the pockets of individuals and businesses across the country; businesses which are also seeing increased Employer’s National Insurance Contributions slapped on them.
“It is a budget that increases the tax burden on key local businesses, hammers rural Scotland, and will damage future investment. It is a dreadful budget for the Highlands and Islands”.
ENDS
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