Green MSPs say the SNP must agree to abolish the council tax in Scotland as the price for their backing for the annual budget next year.

The case for local taxation reform in Scotland is urgent, Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Greens co-convener, told delegates at the party’s spring conference in Greenock yesterday.

He said the Greens were leading the charge over taxation and their income-tax reform agenda had won the day in this year’s Holyrood budget.

He insisted, however, that parliament must go further with a significant reform of local taxes.

Harvie said: “The case for reform of local council funding is a deal-breaker ahead of next year’s budget.

“The outdated and unfair council tax must go, and we need to see genuine centralisation within