Scottish Budget: Scots back tax rises for higher earners and indyref2 fund cancellation

Increased taxation of higher earners has been backed by the Scottish public in a boost for John Swinney’s Budget plans, a new poll suggests.
Conor Matchett
By Conor Matchett
Published 27th Dec 2022, 04:55 BST
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The majority of the headline changes to Scotland’s taxation plans, including the increase of the higher income tax rate and the reduction of the top rate threshold, are supported by a majority of the Scottish public, the survey states.

The poll, from Savanta for The Scotsman, was undertaken between December 16 and 21, interviewing 1,048 Scottish adults aged 16 or over online.

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It shows that 58 per cent of Scots back the increase in the top rate of income tax from 46p to 47p, with 19 per cent opposing it, 17 per cent having no opinion and 7 per cent stating they didn’t know.

Increasing the higher rate of income tax from 41p to 42p for those earning over £43,663 was also backed by the same percentage of Scots (58 per cent). However, it is opposed by almost a quarter of the public (24 per cent), with 13 per cent stating they had no opinion and 5 per cent stating they did not know.

The decision to lower the threshold of the top rate from £150,000 to just over £125,000 was backed by a similar proportion of the public, with 56 per cent backing the move, 20 per cent (or one in five) opposing it, and 18 per cent with no opinion and a further 7 per cent stating they did not know.

The most popular measure saw voters overwhelmingly back how the SNP