The Finance Secretary left businesses empty-handed and missed opportunities to make a positive impression, says TERRY MURDEN Shona Robison clearly didn’t get the memo. You know, the one that said businesses were keen to meet to discuss what they needed in this year’s Scottish Budget. They had a list of measures to help pubs and […]
Scottish budget
Forbes’ tax conundrum | trains setback
AS I SEE IT: TERRY MURDEN Maybe it’s a case of being careful what you wish for. The Scottish Budget has delivered something of an income tax and spending bombshell for the Holyrood government which is largely a result of being granted more powers under devolution. Ministers have been told by the Budget watchdog that […]
Forbes already blaming Tories for her own Budget shortcomings
AS I SEE IT: TERRY MURDEN Finance Secretary Kate Forbes is getting her excuses in early ahead of next week’s Scottish Budget and is already preparing to blame the Westminster government for holding back Scotland and ruining its economy. She’s been telling The Scotsman that her planning for the statement on 28 January has been […]
Mackay’s austerity budget is an opportunity missed
Sound the trumpets, shout Hosanna from the rooftops. The deal is done. Not the Brexit deal – that little difficulty still has a long way to run – but the widely anticipated deal between the minority Scottish Government and the six Green MSPs to get Derek Mackay’s budget through.