Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has promised to cut taxes permanently for businesses if his party wins the Holyrood election. He pledged to overhaul business rates and reverse what he described as 'damaging cliff-edge' tax rises scheduled for April.
Under the plans, properties valued under £20,000 would pay no tax. For higher-valued premises, businesses would pay tax only above the £20,000 threshold, with the same principle applied each time a property enters a higher tax band. The party also pledged to cap the maximum rise in business rates each cycle.
Speaking ahead of a Confederation of British Industry roundtable in Edinburgh, Mr Findlay said Scottish businesses were over-taxed and that he was committed to growing the economy and creating jobs. The manifesto also promises a new Bill allowing businesses to apply for regulations to be scrapped or amended, with ministers having the final say.
The Conservatives want to establish Canary Wharf-style enterprise zones where councils or ministers could streamline planning rules, provide tax breaks, and acquire land to invest in declining areas. They also plan to use Apprenticeship Levy funding to set up a new demand-led fund to increase support for apprenticeships.
The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) warned that medium and larger shops in Scotland will pay £162 million more than their English counterparts over the next three years. SRC director David Lonsdale said Scotland risks becoming 'a materially less competitive place to operate shops', potentially shifting investment south of the border.
SNP candidate Calum Kerr responded, saying John Swinney's government is on the side of business, with rates reliefs that have lifted 100,000 firms out of rates. He highlighted strong economic performance and foreign direct investment under the SNP, contrasting with Labour's employer national insurance hike.
