The Return of King Alex, Scotland unpopular First Minister Nicola Sturgeon creates public anger by an unjustified tax grab by milking business rates to death, the SNP have created the new ‘poll tax in Scotland, Sturgeon went for the tax grab, Salmond going for the leadership?

Dear All

Boom!

Scotland’s unpopular SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has certainly racked up a huge massive problem as people are dubbing her business rates grab the ‘new poll tax’ in Scotland.

The SNP are making Scotland the highest taxed part of the United Kingdom and it isn’t just ordinary people they want to tax the hell out of, it is businesses as well.

The tax grab can has only one purpose in my opinion, to attempt to fill the hole created in Scottish finances circa £15 billion. It goes without saying that a ‘tax grab’ only gets the Nationalists part of the way there, the other side of the coin is attracting business to Scotland.

Scotland’s ‘jolly fat man’ Alex Salmond admits business rate rise ‘a genuine concern’ because the rises in business rates are quite frankly in some cases ridiculous in nature. Having seen Salmond break ranks, one has to ask has Alex Salmond just fired the first shot in a bid to regain the leadership of the Scottish National Party.

Nicola Sturgeon isn’t just seen as a bad leader outside the SNP, she is also seen as a bad leader inside the SNP as well, some people aren’t happy with her performances and her failure to deliver.

What does it say about Nicola Sturgeon’s credibility as Alex Salmond, admitted some Scottish businesses have a “very legitimate” case against business rate rises? Is he trying to head off wide spread anger which could see many small businesses claiming they could go out of business altogether as a result of crippling increases in the levy.

This is no joke; this measure is on a par with the ill fated poll tax which was to become widespread in its popularity and hatred of the then Conservatives Government.

Salmond said:

“In the north-east there’s a very legitimate case because the date the independent evaluation officers made their valuations was at a time when, a couple of years ago, the economy was much stronger than now. That’s why I welcome Aberdeenshire Council’s initiative to put £3 million into additional rates relief to try and take some of the edge off for the hardest cases.”

Conservative shadow finance secretary Murdo Fraser said:

“Alex Salmond says there is a legitimate case for action. If Derek Mackay won’t listen to thousands of affected firms, perhaps he will listen to his former boss.”

The way things are looking will Nicola Sturgeon do a U turn, will she be pressured into surrendering to calls and then see her moral authority of leadership disappear or will she chart the same course and see disaster befall her down the line.

Trouble now or trouble later!

In order to attempt to distance themselves from their actions, the SNP have been quick to use the theme that the rates revaluation was carried out by independent assessors, but the decision to implement was a political decision by the SNP.

The current line by the SNP is that they aren’t for turning, and trying to give the impression that Salmond is onboard and a signed up member of the ‘sheep’, but looking at his comments, is he?

To add to the outcry of foul, a leading nationalist hotelier has said the business rates backlash will be as fierce as against the Poll Tax and bring down the SNP in government.

Sandy Fraser, owner of the Oak Tree Inn on the banks of Loch Lomond, said:

“This will be like Margaret Thatcher’s Poll tax and could bring down the Government. I am a Nationalist at heart so I am very disappointed. My vote will depend on how we are treated over the next few weeks”.

It seems to me reading this that Nicola Sturgeon has lost another voter!

Fraser added:

“For somebody that has always voted SNP I am bitterly disappointed that we are in this position. Our rates are proposed to go up by over 100 per cent from around £60,000 to £140,000, which is staggering. We’re the biggest employer on the east side of Loch Lomond, employing between 60 to 85 people”.

Over 100% rise, that would be crippling to any small of medium size business, in the old days, John Swinney was seen as the financial guru figure in the SNP, once Sturgeon took over, he was shipped out as Nicola Sturgeon brought in her ‘B’ Team, ever since the change the direction of Government has gone backwards noticeably.

Fraser concluded:  

“We will have to lay people off and cancel people that we usually have coming in from Lithuania and Poland in the busy season. It’s complete madness. Why continue to hammer tourism, which is the only success story that Scotland has got as far as I’m concerned. If the Scottish Government were minded to take an interest they would be speaking to us. They’re killing the goose that lays the golden egg.”

Fundamental, Sandy Fraser doesn’t understand the SNP, they aren’t able to look at the big picture, it isn’t a feature of their politics, never has been, the evidence?

Constant whingeing and uber grievances with Westminster; coupled with the total inability to get on with people or organisations.

Can you imagine the SNP starting a second Scottish independence bid with their business ‘poll tax’ hanging round their neck like an albatross?

The list of the disenchanted is growing:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-37276936

With uncertainty flying about the place about the call for a referendum in 2018, which is possibly smack in the middle of the Brexit talks, you have to wonder why Westminster would grant a Section 30 order for a new vote.

The buzzards maybe circling but perhaps their meal with Kentucky Fried Sturgeon as ‘King Alex’ moves from his London Court to Scotland in the wake of Nicola Sturgeon failing to deliver indyref 2!

The slippery slope to disaster has already started for Nicola Sturgeon.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University