If the UK economy worsens post-Brexit, Scotland’s budget will be affected. Already, the Chancellor’s decision to abandon his fiscal targets and borrow has knock-on effects we’ll find out about in the autumn. Scotland’s fiscal framework will come under greater strain.
Scotland and EU: a truer cost/benefit analysis
Scottish Vote Leave has claimed that Brexit would bring an extra £1.5bn a year to Scotland’s budget. But the claim is erroneous as a leading economist explains here.
Try some ‘lab federalism’ on top SRIT rate
Nicola Sturgeon has ruled out raising the additional (“top”) rate of tax to 50p, using similar arguments to those of George Osborne. But is she right to do so? A leading economist is suitably sceptical…but not that hostile.
Osborne sets sail for wrong Budget goal
George Osborne’s eighth Budget is unravelling as each day passes. Here a leading Stirling Uni economist suggests it’s his direction of travel that’s wrong. Time to relax the fiscal rule and invest for the future.
SRIT is a progressive tax
The Scottish Rate of Income Tax is often said to be regressive and can only be progressive if the higher bands are raised. But the Financial Secretary’s decision to leave it at 10p flies in the face of evidence, argues a leading economic expert.