A TOP Scottish Labour MSP has been mocked after branding plans to introduce a new tax on workplace parking spaces an “absolute outrage” – despite his own party floating the measure two years ago.
James Kelly, who represents Glasgow, posted a video on social media over the weekend in which he condemned the new levy as “unacceptable”.
Standing outside the Greggs and Brenntag factories in Cambuslang, he said: “People who come to work and park their cars are going to be charged for doing that.
“I think it’s an absolute outrage. It’s unacceptable. Scottish Labour will oppose these proposals. They should be rejected and taken off the table. Lets not tax people for bringing their car to work.”
However, Twitter users were quick to point out Scottish Labour’s own 2017 council election manifesto for Glasgow suggested introducing such a tax to help tackle city congestion.
Listing a number of pledges, it said a Labour council would “establish a clean air task force to tackle city congestion by examining proposals such as Low Emission Zones and a workplace parking levy.”
A Scottish Labour source said this was simply a pledge to “examine proposals”.
The row comes after a last-minute Budget deal between the SNP and the Greens opened the door to a wave of new local taxes, including proposals for a workplace parking levy.
This could see workers forced to pay hundreds of pounds a year to park their car, with a similar scheme in Nottingham resulting in charges of more than £400 annually.
SNP MSP James Dornan branded Labour’s approach “as clueless and shambolic as their approach to the entire Budget”.
He said: “They had the opportunity to secure real concessions like the Greens did, but have been left carping from the sidelines with the Tories.
"Indeed, Labour councillors across Scotland will no doubt be furious that their Holyrood colleagues are teaming up with the Tories to block powers being given to local authorities – not least when they themselves were demanding these same powers two years ago.
“James Kelly has been well and truly caught out. This is the worst kind of manufactured outrage and political opportunism – Labour should grow up.”
Mr Kelly is Labour's finance spokesman and led the party's Budget negotiations.
A Scottish Labour source said: "The Glasgow manifesto said it would examine proposals.
“The levy proposed by the SNP and the Greens has not been properly thought through in terms of its impact on our environment, would do nothing to improve public transport, and is set against a backdrop of £230 million in cuts to local councils.
“The issues of proper funding and more powers for local councils, investment in public transport, and climate change are too serious and important for gimmicks like this.”
Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders are among the first councils to rule out bringing in either a workplace parking levy or a tourist tax.
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