Responding to the First Minister’s statement on his ‘Priorities for Scotland’, Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland, said:
“The First Minister knows that to eradicate child poverty, tackle the climate crisis, or invest in public services, will demand major and sustained new investment at a time when Scotland’s top civil servant warns that significant spending cuts will be needed to balance the books.
“More of the same isn’t an option. Mr Swinney must heed the warnings on the public finance blackhole but resist damaging spending cuts. Instead, he should kick-start common-sense tax reforms to fairly raise extra revenue, better share income and wealth, and incentivise businesses to cut their emissions and deliver fairer work. Doing so, will help build a more prosperous and greener Scotland for everyone.”
Notes to Editors
The Scottish Government says will publish its draft Tax Strategy on June 20.
Last week, Oxfam Scotland joined with the STUC, IPPR Scotland and the Scottish Women’s Budget Group to urge the First Minister show political vision and leadership on tax. This echoed calls from more than 60 organisations for all Scottish party leaders to urgently cooperate to deliver wide-ranging and fair tax reforms to boost investment in key national priorities.
Earlier this week, the Scottish Government Permanent Secretary John-Paul Marks said he has informed the First Minister there would be a need for significant spending reductions.