THE Scottish government must “invest in Scotland,” the Scottish TUC said today, following more than a decade of austerity, cuts and “ill judged” council tax freezes.

The voice of Scottish trade unionism has called on the SNP administration to use the £5 billion flowing into Scottish coffers from October’s Westminster Budget to deliver its own “budget for communities.”

Demanding an end to the small business bonus tax break, which they argue has “squandered” more than £3bn since First Minister John Swinney introduced it when finance minister in 2008, the STUC has called for investment into social care workers’ wages, free school meals and transport.