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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Government to scrap council tax | Government to scrap council tax |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Scottish government is to press ahead with its plans to replace council tax with an income-based alternative. | The Scottish government is to press ahead with its plans to replace council tax with an income-based alternative. |
| However, the plan as it stands could run into trouble with likely opposition from the Scottish Liberal Democrats. | However, the plan as it stands could run into trouble with likely opposition from the Scottish Liberal Democrats. |
| Finance Secretary John Swinney said legislation would be brought forward to scrap the "unfair" tax. | Finance Secretary John Swinney said legislation would be brought forward to scrap the "unfair" tax. |
| The Lib Dems want individual councils to be able to vary local income tax - while the SNP want a fixed 3p levy across Scotland. | |
| Scottish Labour has remained opposed to scrapping the council tax - a key SNP election pledge - and the Greens are also opposed to the Nationalists' plan. | |
| We stood for election on a platform to abolish the unfair council tax John Swinney MSPFinance secretary | |
| Mr Swinney told parliament that, as a first step, he was aiming for a freeze in council tax rates from April 2008. | |
| It was set out as part of a drive to raise Scotland's growth rate to UK levels by 2011. | |
| "The government will bring forward legislation to abolish the unfair council tax," said Mr Swinney. | |
| "Our proposal is for a local income tax based on the ability to pay which will reduce the overall burden of local tax with the benefit felt by pensioners, families and the majority of Scots. | |
| "We stood for election on a platform to abolish the unfair council tax and we are determined to deliver this as part of our agenda to create a wealthier and a fairer Scotland." |