Call for ministerial code probe into John Swinney's 'blatant lies' over SNP tax increases
The SNP’s Holyrood manifesto vowed to “freeze income tax rates and bands” until 2026.
The Scottish Tories have formally called for an investigation into whether First Minister John Swinney breached the ministerial code over raising income tax.
Mr Swinney is facing an accusation of committing “a blatant lie” in parliament over the SNP’s income tax increases.
The SNP’s manifesto ahead of the 2021 Holyrood manifesto vowed to “freeze income tax rates and bands” until 2026, without caveat, but the Scottish Government has hiked the levies on two occasions since being re-elected.
In 2023, when Mr Swinney was finance secretary, he increased two separate income tax bands, while last year, current finance secretary Shona Robison introduced a new tax band with a higher rate and raised another income tax band.
Despite this, Mr Swinney has repeatedly refused to admit his party has breached the explicit manifesto commitment. He has also accused UK Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves of misleading the public in the run-up to her Budget and called for her to quit.
But now the Scottish Conservatives have suggested that the First Minister having “failed to tell the truth in parliament” over the tax rises being a breach of the manifesto could constitute a breach of the ministerial code.
The Tories' finance spokesperson, Craig Hoy, has written to the government’s independent advisers, claiming that it “is clear that the SNP have lied to the public about their manifesto pledge”, accusing the First Minister of “ a blatant lie”.
In his letter, Mr Hoy pointed to remarks by the First Minister last month, when he stated that “we have maintained our manifesto commitments in relation to taxation”.
The ministerial code states that “it is of paramount importance that ministers give accurate and truthful information to the parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity”. It adds that “ministers who knowingly mislead the parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the First Minister”.
In his letter, Mr Hoy added: “I am urging you as the independent advisers on this code to launch an investigation on this matter to John Swinney to account for his lies.
“If no such investigation is held, it will make a mockery of what is supposed to be an independent process which is designed to ensure ministers are held accountable for their conduct.”
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “I cannot begin to get my head around John Swinney’s utter delusion on this subject and his rank hypocrisy.
“He’s calling out Rachel Reeves, who did lie through her teeth on income tax rises, but he did the same - John Swinney lied through his teeth.
“He said he had not broken the SNP's manifesto promise but he was the person who actually delivered a budget that increased income tax. A year later the SNP did the same again.
“He must think people are completely stupid if they’re going to swallow this. If it is good enough for Rachel Reeves’s position to be called into question, then the same should apply to John Swinney.”
A spokesperson for Mr Swinney said: “The 2021 SNP manifesto commitment was explicit in saying the government must have the flexibility to respond to changing circumstances.”
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