05 December 2003
A former Conservative minister who was responsible for implementing the poll tax in Scotland has admitted that it was a 'great political mistake'.
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, Scottish secretary when the controversial charge was introduced, claimed this week that the government's presentation of the new tax had been flawed and that it was difficult to collect because of population movement.
The community charge, or poll tax, came into force north of the border on April 1, 1989, a year ahead of England and Wales. It led to a mass non-payment campaign in Scotland and street riots south of the border before being abolished in 1993 and replaced by the current council tax.
Rifkind told BBC Radio Scotland: 'There was a tremendous movement of population. If people did not want to pay then it was almost impossible to trace them and implement the system.'
He added: 'Scotland was seething with indignation at the ratings revaluation and with the unfairness of elderly single pensioners having to pay the same rates as a family of working adults living next door.'
PFdec2003
