Today sees the launch of the Scottish Labour 2024 Manifesto, which comes after the publication of the Scottish Lib Dems’ manifesto yesterday.
The manifesto included plans to: end the sale of single use vapes; tackle anti-social behaviour; and reform business rates.
Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar said: “The current business rates system in Scotland disincentivises investment, creates uncertainty and places an undue burden on our high streets. Scottish Labour has set out proposals to make business rates fairer, starting with reforms that level the playing field between the high street and online giants.”
While the General Election will largely focus on matters reserved to the UK Government, the Scottish Grocers’ Federation has created a summary of the key points of interest.
UK reserved issues & taxation
- Target: highest sustained growth in the G7.
- Introduce a new industrial strategy for the UK. Working in partnership with industry to create opportunities and remove barriers to growth.
- Cap UK corporation tax at the current level of 25%, alongside fewer announcements on fiscal changes (move to annual).
- Strengthen the Post Office, in consultation with sub-postmasters, support the development of new products, services and business models, such as banking hubs.
- Ban zero hours contracts and ensure minimum wage is a living wage, delivering a pay rise to over 200,000 workers in Scotland (LPC to account for the cost of living and remove age bands).
Scottish Economy & taxation
- Reform Business Rates to level the playing field between the high street and online. Incentivise investment, reduce empty properties and support entrepreneurship.
- Improve access to skills development schemes, capital support, and help to adopt tech that will improve productivity and growth.
Public Health
- End the sale of single use vapes and ensure the next generation can never legally buy cigarettes.
- Ban the promotion and advertising of vapes and ‘junk food’ towards children and young people.
Retail Crime
- Work with police, schools, youth services and community groups, to reduce anti-social behaviour.
- Action to reduce reoffending and alleviate pressure on Scottish prisons. Including community sentences made more available
- Noting that police need more support and capacity to bring perpetrators to justice.
- Ban some targeted knives (machetes etc)
Other related matters
- Strengthen the Scotland Office to improve Scottish influence at a UK level.
