A Labour politician was accused of supporting “all-out communism” after claiming private businesses should be banned from making a profit.
Mercedes Villalba, who was elected to Holyrood in the north-east region last year, insisted financial gains for firms should be “outlawed” due to soaring inflation.
Party officials distanced themselves from the comment after the north-east regional MSP posted her thoughts online.
Prices of goods have been rising in recent months as the UK is gripped by a severe cost of living crisis.
It’s been warned millions across Britain could be left in fuel poverty this winter if politicians do not intervene.
‘Private profit should be outlawed’
Ms Villalba posted online: “In a period of record inflation, private profit should be outlawed. Or aren’t we all in this together?”
She added: “It’s not a ‘global inflationary phenomenon’ it’s decades of neoliberalism in the making.”
Her idea to curb all profits made by private businesses go far beyond proposals made by any mainstream political leader in recent years.
The Tories claimed Ms Villalba’s position was “ludicrous” as they branded their Labour rivals “extreme” and “irrational”.
MSP Maurice Golden said: “Mercedes Villalba has completely lost the plot with this bizarre suggestion.
“The idea that we should outlaw all private profit goes way beyond left-wing economics and into the realm of all-out communism.
“This ludicrous position would be laughed out of the room in a student union debate – to hear it from an elected politician is completely absurd.”
In a period of record inflation, private profit should be outlawed.
Or aren't we all in this together?
— Mercedes Villalba (@LabourMercedes) May 10, 2022
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “This is not Labour policy.”
Explaining her comments later, Ms Villalba said: “Given the cost of living crisis, when people are struggling to pay their bills and going without food, big businesses who have done well throughout the pandemic should be reinvesting profits into improved pay and conditions for workers, and lowering prices for consumers, rather than continuing to stockpile private profits.”
In January Ms Villalba claimed that ex-Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn’s suspension from the party should be ended by Keir Starmer.