Thanks to a deal the Scottish Executive has made with Cosla, local authorities will now have to freeze Council Tax — or else.

The SNP’s long-term proposal is to get rid of Council Tax altogether and replace it with a Local Income Tax. Seems like a good idea. Except that the SNP version of Local Income Tax gives local authorities absolutely no power to set the rate. I still don’t understand what’s “local” about Local Income Tax version SNP. Local rates where the rates are set by the centre? Don’t get it. It seems to be “local” in name only.

For a party that is supposed to be in favour of removing power from the centre, the SNP seems awfy keen on reducing the autonomy of local authorities and putting the power all back to the centre. I guess as long as the centre is in Edinburgh rather than London, it must be okay.