LABOUR'S "PROPERTY POLL TAX" IS A 50% TAX HIKE – AVERAGE BILLS OF NEARLY £1500

LABOUR'S "PROPERTY POLL TAX" IS A 50% TAX HIKE – AVERAGE BILLS OF NEARLY £1500

Further research by the SNP into Labour’s “property poll tax” plans, featured in today's Times shows a 1% tax on all households would increase household tax bills by nearly 50% - or an average of £468.

The average council tax in Scotland for 2009/10 is £987. The average house price in Scotland is £145,533.

Labour proposals would see average bills jump by nearly £500 to £1455.30 per year.

SNP MSP and Chief Whip Brian Adam added:

“Labour’s property poll tax will hit hard pressed households to the tune of £500 each.

“Pensioners and families across Scotland will be horrified by this plan to increase bills by nearly 50%.

“If these plans were ever to be implemented we would see pensioners facing enormous bills. Scotland’s pensioners have worked hard all their lives, so why should they be penalised for any increase in the property market?

“Labour has gone back to the future with this ridiculous, ill-thought out proposal that they themselves rubbished in 2006 when in government.

“In the middle of a recession adding £468 or more to the tax bills of Scottish families will be more than many households can bear.

“In contrast, the SNP Scottish Government has delivered a council tax freeze for all Scottish households, helping them through the recession.

“It seems Labour are so desperate to show they have a policy they’ve picked the first one they could find – even though it is three-years old, was rejected by Labour at the time, and would damage Scottish households.”