THE Scottish Greens are threatening to block the SNP Government’s budget unless new Holyrood powers are used to tax the rich.
Ministers relied on the Greens to get last year's spending plans passed after Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems voted against.
However, the Greens have warned the SNP that it faces defeat unless it uses newly-devolved tax powers to redistribute wealth.
The Scottish Greens annual conference next weekend (Oct 21 and 22) will hear that the party's six MSPs are prepared to vote against the budget.
A resolution to be debated at the conference in Edinburgh states: “Conference reasserts the need for progressive use of newly-devolved tax powers, to raise the revenue needed to protect public services and investment, while reducing wealth and income inequality.
“Refusal by the Scottish Government to make further use of the powers available to it is unacceptable.”
Scottish Green co-convenor Patrick Harvie warned the SNP it was running out of time to agree a deal ahead of the draft budget's publication on December 14.
He said: “The SNP have asked other parties for their ideas, and we’ve given ours.
"Time is now running out for the SNP to state their own preference. They can’t expect to discuss the budget with us, or any other party, in good faith if they refuse to make serious movement towards a fairer system of income tax.”
Harvie went onto say that tax should not be increased for low-paid workers and must instead be targeted at the wealthiest.
He added: "Given the growing warnings over tightening public finances, the need to give people working in public services a pay rise, and the need to invest in low-carbon infrastructure, the case for bold changes is clear.
“But the debate can’t just be about whether everyone’s taxes go up. Low earners cannot afford that, but those at the top end certainly can."
In response, a Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Taxpayers across Scotland already get the best deal in the UK, with a range of services and benefits which are not available elsewhere.
"With the limited powers we have, we have made taxation fairer while also raising additional revenue."
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