Scottish National Party MP Angus Robertson has called on the UK Government to make the introduction of a “fair tax regime” a New Year resolution.
Robertson, whose Moray constituency contains more than half of all malt whisky distilleries, slammed the UK Government for continuing to “cream an unfair tax off the whisky industry”.
According to Robertson, the run up to Christmas is the most important period for domestic whisky sales. He says more than 40% of malt and 30% of blended whisky sales take place on the run up to the festive season.
Robertson said: “The whisky sector is one of Scotland's key industries both in export, earnings and employment terms, and the current tax regime is undermining investment and competitiveness as well as damaging international trading conditions.
“Labour’s unfair tax is a ball and chain round the neck of every bottle of whisky distilled in Scotland. This tax works against the industry and against the Scottish economy. During an essential season for one of Scotland’s essential industries, this duty is a real burden.
“At the last Budget Downing Street increased the rate of duty on whisky by the highest amount since 1975 – we cannot have any repeat of that again in the new year. Minimum pricing will not harm Scotland’s Whisky industry but Labour’s dodgy tax regime already is.”
