ANDREW Bowie made misleading claims about council tax rises while attacking the SNP that were “missing important context”, a fact-checking service has said.
The minister for nuclear and networks has been criticised by Full Fact for tweeting about incoming council tax hikes - without setting out that the rise does not apply to 99.5% of properties in Aberdeenshire.
The Scottish Tory MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine made the claim on X, formerly known as Twitter, on July 26.
He wrote: “The SNP plan to increase Council Tax by £768.12 per year in Aberdeenshire!
“The ScotTories are the only Party standing up for the North East. Join us in telling the SNP to Scrap The Hike!”
Bowie’s claim that the council tax hike in Aberdeenshire will cost households almost £770 was found to be misleading as it “isn’t true for the majority of properties”, Full Fact reported.
“This increase would apply only to about 630 Band H properties,” the fact checking service said.
“But 99.5% of homes would see no increase or an increase up to £477.54 by 2026/27.”
“This is missing important context, as Mr Bowie fails to say that this increase has not yet been agreed and, if it is, it would only apply to a small proportion of homes in the area,” Full Fact added.
The Scottish Government is currently consulting on plans that would see council tax rises for Band H properties across Scotland, at an expected 22.5%.
In Aberdeenshire, this would equate to an increase of £768.12, as Bowie stated, but would only apply to 631 properties - 0.5% of all dwellings in the council area.
Full Fact pointed out that Bowie’s tweet appeared to suggest this would apply to all properties within the council area, and noted that he omitted to include that the increased rate would come into force over three years.
The majority of properties in Aberdeenshire - an estimated 70,000 - are council tax bands A-D, and will not see an increase under the proposals.
Properties in bands E-G would see their council tax go up, but by less than the £770 figure quoted by Bowie.
Around 22,600 Band E properties would pay an additional £137.31 a year compared to current rates. For 17,500 Band F properties, this would be £283.04, and 11,400 Band G Homes would be charged £477.54 more.
“Data should be presented in a clear way by politicians in order to minimise the risk of it being misinterpreted or people being misled by a claim,” Full Fact said.
“The use of official information without appropriate context and caveats can damage public trust in both official information and politicians.”
The Scottish Conservatives have been contacted for comment.
We previously told how a Question Time audience member accused Bowie of taking the public “for idiots and mugs” after he refused to answer a straight question.
And in June, Bowie praised Scottish Secretary Alister Jack for doing an “impressive job” of blocking legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament after Scotland’s deposit return scheme was delayed until at least October 2025.
