Commenting on remarks made by Glasgow Council's Labour leader Stephen Purcell that the Council Tax was 'unfair' and he was seeking to establish a cross-party working group to examine alternatives Glasgow SNP MSP Bob Doris said it was a significant shift in the stance of the Glasgow Labour party and would put more pressure on Wendy Alexander to abandon her defence of the Council Tax.

On BBC Scotland's Good Morning Scotland Cllr Purcell said "We do accept that the Council Tax in its current form has become an unfair tax" as he announced the council was seeking to establish a cross-party working group to examine all forms of taxation.

Commenting Mr Doris said: "This is a significant admission from Councillor Purcell and shows that large cracks are appearing in Labour's last ditch defence of the Council Tax. It will now put even more pressure on Wendy Alexander to ditch her alliance with the Tories in defending the unfair Council Tax.

"Glasgow's Labour Council has had to accept that the council tax is not working and that Scotland needs an alternative. Council Tax went up 60% under Labour and it is no longer tenable to defend it as a fair tax.

"The SNP has that alternative – it is a local income tax based on ability to pay. Glasgow's evidence shows that 72% of Glaswegians would be better off under the SNP's proposed Local Income Tax.

"The SNP's proposals come with a £280 million tax cut for the people of Scotland and will clearly have major benefits for the hard pressed council tax payers of Glasgow – the overwhelming majority of whom will see their bills cut.

"Perhaps that's why not only do a majority of Scots voters support the Local Income Tax, but a majority of Labour voters do too."