SCOTTISH Labour will today dare the SNP to vote against raising income tax, as it tests Nicola Sturgeon’s commitment to a more “progressive” system for funding public services.

Barely a fortnight after the First Minister announced she wanted to start a cross-party debate on tax rates, Labour said it would use its debate time at Holyrood to put her “on the spot”.

The party has tabled a motion stating “income tax should be increased to allow greater investment in public services”.

Labour said the vote on the issue would force parties to “pick a side on tax”.

In its 2016 Holyrood manifesto, the SNP said it would “freeze the basic rate of income tax throughout the next Parliament to protect those on low and middle incomes”.

The basic 20p rate is currently paid by those earning more than the £11,500 allowance.

Labour claims its policy of adding 1p to the 20p and 40p rates of income tax and 5p to the 45p rate would have raised an extra £1bn over the last two Scottish budgets.

Interim Scottish Labour leader, Alex Rowley, said: “The SNP faces a choice: tax cuts for the richest and public spending cuts for the rest with the Tories, or using the powers to protect public services with Labour. Today Nicola Sturgeon and her MSPs must make that choice.”

The Scottish Tories said an increase in the 20p rate would “hit those workers who can least afford it” and “reinforce Scotland’s reputation as a high-tax economy”.

Urging MSPs to rule out any rise, Tory finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said: “Labour have been quite upfront in saying that they think all workers, including those on low incomes, should pay even more.

“We now need to hear from the SNP if it has changed its mind.”

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie said he would make the case for a far more progressive tax system, with five bands instead of three, and bigger bills for those on above average pay.

He said: “By working together, we can see people on low incomes given a tax cut, while those on high incomes should pay a fairer share for the public services we all benefit from.

“The Scottish Parliament has always had the power to redesign the local tax system, but change has been put off for too long.

“Today could be a significant day in the history of devolution, but only if all parties are willing to work together to create a fairer and more equal Scotland.”

An SNP amendment calls on the UK Government to be more generous in the budget, and calls for “an informed debate” in an effort to reach a consensus on tax at Holyrood.

SNP MSP Gillian Martin MSP said: “Labour need to learn that taxation is not a competition or a political game – it's about how you fund public services and support the economy whilst ensuring that those on low incomes do not shoulder the burden of Tory austerity.”