A STAMP duty replacement would have cost homebuyers £30million more than the UK system last year, the Scottish Conservatives claim.

The Tories announced the Scottish Government's Land and Building Transaction Tax would have generated £30million more in tax if it had been implemented in 2014 compared to Westminster's stamp duty.

Ruth Davidson, Glasgow MP and Leader of the Scottish Conservatives said: " When the SNP launched its plans to replace stamp duty, we were told that it did not plan to raise any more tax than the system it inherited.

"But these figures show that the Scottish Government is actually planning to raise an extra £30 million from house buyers. It's a tax grab on Scottish home buyers.

"This is the first tax that the SNP government has taken control over at the Scottish Parliament, and it's clear its first instinct is to hike taxes, not cut them.

"This is exactly what the SNP would try to do if it got its hands on the levers of power at Westminster too.

"The Scottish Conservatives are the only party at this election which will campaign for a fair deal on tax for Scots."

She also urged finance minister John Swinney to cut tax for all Scottish homebuyers.