An SNP MP has claimed Scotland is paying to fix the UK’s cost of living crisis through a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas giants
Kirsty Blackman said 90 per cent of the cash from the policy was coming from Scotland and called for the scope of the tax to be widened.
Labour MSP Colin Smyth said: “Across the UK families have been plunged into unimaginable economic difficulty by rising energy prices.
“Children are going to bed hungry and families find themselves pushed to the brink.
“But somehow the SNP still find a way to make this about the constitution.”
(Image: PA)
Chancellor Rishi Sunak bowed to pressure on Thursday by unveiling £15 billion of measures to tackle the impact of soaring inflation, which has reached a 40-year high.
Every household will get a £400 energy bill discount under an emergency cost-of-living package that will be partly funded by a £5 billion windfall tax on oil and gas giants, paid by multi-nations like Shell and BP.
The Tory Government had resisted a windfall tax but relented after pressure by Labour.
The SNP are also sceptical of a standalone tax on one industry.
In an interview with BBC Scotland, Blackman said: “The disappointment is that they’ve chosen to focus it entirely on oil and gas companies, when they could have done it on all the companies that have had super profits during the course of the pandemic.
“Why should the Amazons and the Sercos of this world get away Scot-free?
She continued: “The other issue with the windfall tax is that 90% of that money that has been generated is generated from income made in Scotland, and actually it feels very unfair that Scotland is having to pay for the entirety of the UK.”
“It feels like we are paying the price for the Chancellor’s failings here.”
Her comments were criticised by Smyth: “These global companies are raking in billions from the pockets of hard working families across the UK.
“Fuel poverty doesn’t become acceptable because English pensioners experience it.
“Child poverty isn’t okay when it happens to Welsh children.
“Kirsty Blackman should apologise for these ignorant comments.”
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