THE Justice Secretary has defended Humza Yousaf’s pledge to freeze council tax despite a backlash from local authority leaders.
The MSP disputed suggestions the First Minister had “torn up” the Verity House Agreement but admitted she knew about the change in position in the days “leading up to” Yousaf’s speech at the
Constance said: “What I have seen firsthand over the past few days is local and national government working hand in glove, and as we move from this emergency phase into the recovery phase, the response to extreme flooding that has been experienced in many parts of Scotland.” The presenter argued that the policy is a “rabbit out of the hat” and doesn’t actually save households that much money. The proposed freeze came after a consultation had considered increasing the charge by between 7.5% and 22.5% for the highest-value properties.“This will support two and a half million households at a time when everybody, irrespective of their income, is dealing with pressure associated with the cost of living.
The Justice Secretary initially said she was out of the country but learned about it “before the announcement”. The FM defended the move after his speech, insisting it was “right” for the government to provide such help for people in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis. However, she said local authorities would not quit the deal as there was a belief amongst council leaders that “for the good of our communities and public services in Scotland, we should not walk away”.
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