SCOTTISH Labour leader Kezia Dugdale challenged the SNP yesterday to stop “posing as socialists” and prevent cuts to public services by adding 1p to the rate of income tax.

Funding for local councils is set to be slashed by £350 million today if the Scottish government’s budget is passed at Holyrood.Setting out her “radical alternative,” Ms Dugdale said the cuts could be avoided completely if the Scottish government used its new tax-raising powers.

She said a 1p increase in income tax could raise £500m to fund schools, which face £130m of cuts, as well as social and leisure services run by councils.