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. 

The STUC has also warned SNP Finance Secretary Shona Robison not to countenance yet another “ill-judged” council tax freeze in Wednesday’s Budget — a measure estimated to have lost Scottish councils £780 million since the first freeze in 2007. 

She must instead begin the process of dismantling the tax to replace it with a more progressive property tax, the body said.

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “The Scottish government can choose to invest in Scotland.

“With almost £5bn of extra resource funding being allocated to the Scottish government, her budget could signal a clear break from the past.

“We can build a sustainable nation where public services are well resourced and public-sector workers are paid fairly.

“This can be a budget for the future.”

Ms Foyer said the Scottish government can “begin a process” to scrap the council tax and replace with it a “proportionate property tax to give councils a fighting chance of fair funding.”

She said: “They can make their commitment to end child poverty a reality by ensuring every pupil gets a free school meal and low paid social care workers, mostly women, get the pay increase they deserve.

“They can deliver on a just transition for Scotland’s energy workforce whilst ensuring a more sustainable, greener future for workers through better, more affordable public transport.

“These decisions rest with the Finance Secretary.

“We know there is a strain on government finances but that is no excuse for poor choices.

“Workers are desperate for investment in their futures, their public services and their communities.

“The trade union movement will be watching.”

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Budget will prioritise our resources in line with the First Minister’s priorities of ending child poverty, growing the economy, investing in public services and supporting the path to net zero.”