Derek Mackay, SNP Finance Secretary, announced in his budget today that the Basic Rate of Income will increase for around 1.16 million, or 45% of Scotland.

This will see an increase income tax for all those that earn over £26,000.

This means that certain primary school teachers, nurses, paramedics, social workers, police officers and GPs will pay more.

The Finance Secretary introduced a new rate of 21p for those earning between £24,000 and £44,000.

That will mean anyone who earns over £26,000 will be worse off than their equivalents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland under these SNP plans.

The SNP said that the only those over £33,000 would pay more. However that ignores, the Personal Allowance introduced by the UK Government to help lower earners.

Furthermore, the SNP will make Local Authorities increase their council tax by 3% to protect their local budgets. Threatening an increase to household costs for thousands across the Borders.

Rachael Hamilton MSP raised with the Finance Secretary how the large business supplement is twice the amount in England and it remains the same even after calls by the Scottish Conservatives to reduce it.

Rachael Hamilton MSP said: "The SNP have broken their manifesto commitment and increased the Basic Rate of Income Tax.

"This will mean that hard-working families, nurses, teachers, police officers and GPs in the Borders will have to pay more under this Nat tax.

"The SNP promised that they would not increase the rate of income tax and now they have. In the Scottish Borders this could mean that some choose to live across the Border to avoid this damaging increase in tax.

"The large business supplement remains twice the amount of that in England, damaging Scottish Tourism in the Borders whilst it does."