Scottish Greens want the top paid executive in a company or other organisation receiving government funding or contracts to be paid no more than ten times the lowest paid employee.

The party says the 10:1 pay ratio would be added to the conditionality of grants and contracts in order to redistribute wealth and would be applied even if it meant losing a multi-million pound investment from companies.

Critics say it would make it more difficult to hire low paid workers as company leaders would not volunteer a significant pay cut. It could also restrict hiring of top talent if salaries were effectively capped.

Additionally, it would put investments from big companies at risk as they would not qualify for taxpayer support if they breached the pay ratio.

Center Parcs is opening a facility in the Borders backed by £30m from the Scottish Government. The resort’s previous CEO Martin Dalby had a base salary including benefits of about £346,000, while a waiter or waitress earns on average £16,174.

Under the Greens’ plan the CEO would have to take a pay cut to £161,740 – more than half – or raise the wages of the lowest paid staff.

Co-leader Ross Greer told Daily Business that the purpose of the policy is to drive up the salaries of low paid staff.

“We should be using Scottish government money to drive up wages in our economy. Public money shouldn’t be going into subsidising poverty wages,” he said.

“If a business is not willing to change its wage policies it would not be eligible for public money.

“The chief executive would have to raise the wages of his lowest paid staff and if he was not willing to do that the company would not be eligible for the money,” he said.

“That £30m would go to the many businesses who are already comply with the 10:1 ratio or would be willing to raise the wages of their lowest paid staff.”

Asked if he would be prepared to lose an investment like Center Parcs in order to impose the pay ratio policy, he replied: “In short, yes, because we want to shift government support for businesses towards more small and medium sized enterprises and start ups.

“Too much money goes to help big businesses get even bigger and they tend to be the worst culprits when it comes to poverty pay.”

He said the policy builds on the party’s success in ensuring companies which receive public sector grants and support are required to pay their workers at least the real living wage.

Party co-leader Gillian Mackay said: “This is about fairness and using public money to do good and to raise terms and conditions across the board.

“Right now there are a small number of people raking in huge amounts while the staff who generate that wealth in the first place are trapped in poverty pay and poor conditions.

“We may not be able to stop obscene executive pay with the powers of devolution, but we can decide where public money is going and what kind of companies our government is supporting.

“A 10:1 pay ratio between the highest and lowest-paid staff would ensure that those bosses can only raise their own salaries by also improving the salaries of their lowest paid staff too. 

“It was the Scottish Greens who ensured that no company receiving public money can pay their workers below the Real Living Wage, and this change would build on that success.

“It’s a simple way of lifting everyone up, reducing inequality and boosting the wages of ordinary workers.”

Polanski an ‘imbecile’

Zack Polanski, leader of the Green Party in England and Wales, has called for Donald Trump to be “kicked out” out of his Scottish golf courses and for them to be “brought into community ownership”.

The US president owns two golf resorts in Scotland – Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire and Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire.

Mr Polanski made his demand on a visit to Glasgow as he supported his Scottish Green colleagues on the Holyrood campaign trail.

Sarah Malone, executive vice president, Trump International Scotland, said: “The comments in relation to our golf courses in Scotland are frankly ludicrous and ignorant and made by a man who is an imbecile.”