Halcro Johnston claims 5,000 Orcadians will be hit by tax increase

Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has criticised SNP budget proposals, which he claims will see 5,000 people in Orkney pay higher taxes than other parts of the UK.

According to Mr Halcro Johnston, Finance secretary Derek Mackay has confirmed that everyone being paid more than £26,000 — including nurses, primary teachers and police officers — would pay more under his plans, affecting an estimated 1.2 million workers cross Scotland.

“This has been the very worst sort of deception for people across Scotland, many of who were told by Nicola Sturgeon only last year that their taxes would not increase,” said Mr Halcro Johnston, in response to the news.

“These proposals will make it more difficult to attract and retain skilled workers to the islands and will have a negative impact on our economy and the public services that we all rely on.”