SNP to Push for Lords to Pay Income Tax on Parliamentary Allowance
The Scottish National Party (SNP) is set to make a move to have members of the House of Lords pay income tax on their parliamentary allowance. SNP’s Deputy Westminster Leader, Pete Wishart, will introduce an amendment to tax peers on their £342 daily allowance. This payment, which is tax-free, is granted to Lords for each day they are present in Parliament, regardless of their contributions such as speeches, questions, or votes.
Last year, members of the House of Lords claimed over £20 million in attendance allowances, all of which were tax-free. The SNP estimates that this allowed peers to avoid paying up to £9 million in income tax, an amount that could cover Winter Fuel Payments for more than 22,000 pensioners in Scotland. The party is also considering making the benefit of Winter Fuel Payments universal in Scotland.
In addition to the tax issue, Wishart has put forward another amendment to abolish the House of Lords, a longstanding SNP policy. He called on Scottish Labour MPs to support these measures, criticising the Labour Party for failing to deliver on its promise to abolish the House of Lords for over a century. Wishart emphasised the undemocratic and outdated nature of the House of Lords and questioned why its members are not subject to income tax like other citizens.
Labour’s bill to eliminate hereditary peers from the Lords is scheduled to be discussed in parliament. A UK government source dismissed the SNP’s actions as political posturing and game-playing. Both sides are gearing up for what is likely to be a contentious debate on the future of the House of Lords.
This development underscores the ongoing debate over the role and composition of the House of Lords in the UK political system. It also sheds light on the taxation and accountability of members of the upper house, sparking discussions about democracy, transparency, and fairness in governance. The outcome of these proposed amendments could have significant implications for the UK’s political landscape and the balance of power between the two houses of parliament.