Scot Lib Dems respond to UK budget

Responding to the UK budget, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“I’m glad that the Chancellor has listened to Liberal Democrat calls for more investment in the NHS. Here in Scotland we will keep pressure on the Scottish Government to ensure that extra resource is directed to giving people fast access to NHS services like local GPs and dentists while alleviating the crisis in mental health.

“The Scottish Government now have some major choices to make. In the past they have chosen poorly, wasting hundreds of millions on ferries that have not been delivered and tens of millions on a bureaucratic takeover of social care which will probably now never happen.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats will press for the Scottish Government to deliver the fair deal that our communities need. First and foremost, this means funding for our NHS but it also means investing in rebuilding Scottish education, fixing crumbling infrastructure and social care.”

On the government’s increase to employers’ National Insurance, he added:

“It is very concerning to see the Chancellor repeat a number of the Conservatives’ mistakes today. Raising employer’s National Insurance is a tax on jobs and high streets.

“Instead of raising the money we need by reversing Conservative tax cuts for the big banks, or asking the social media and tech giants to pay a bit more, the Chancellor has chosen unfair tax hikes that will hurt the hard-working families, small businesses and family farms that are the engines of our economy.”