ONE WEEK AND COUNTING FOR TORY FAILURE ON COST OF LIVING

An SNP MP has condemned Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss for failing to come up with a proper plan to help people through the cost-of-living crisis several weeks into the Tory leadership contest – and has demanded action now.

Gavin Newlands MP’s call follows comments and a report from the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) criticising Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss for their tax plans and failing to come up with an “adequate” solution.

The recent IFS report revealed that permanent tax cuts of the sort being promised by the two Tory MPs hoping to replace Boris Johnson in No 10 would “exacerbate already substantial pressures on the public finances”.

The victor in the Tory leadership contest is due to be unveiled next week, with the current front-runner being Liz Truss, who has made great play of her brief time enrolled at West Primary School, Paisley in the 1970s.

Criticism of both Tory candidates has mounted as energy costs reach record highs and inflation hits heights not seen in 40 years.

The Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP claimed the current situation was a “catastrophe”.

He said:

“It’s simply beyond belief that with less than a week to go until the next Tory leader is crowned, neither of their candidates has put forward any sort of plan for tackling the cost of living crisis and supporting households across the country.

“With the latest forecasts putting the energy price cap at over £6,600 next April, our society is facing the biggest crisis in our basic standard of living for 50 years, yet the two people who think they should be Prime Minister don’t appear to have a clue what to do to help ordinary people who are on the brink of catastrophe.

“Meanwhile the current “Prime Minister” is swanning about on his leaving tour and telling Daily Mail readers how golden Britain’s future is – at a time when millions face the choice between heating and eating.

“Households and businesses need the Westminster government to get a grip and use its reserved powers to take immediate and radical action to support them with record high energy bills. That means reversing the energy price cap rise, and recalling parliament immediately to deliver an emergency budget that provides the support people need – including scrapping VAT on fuel, doubling support for households, and introducing an energy price cap and grants for businesses.

“The paralysis and inaction from the UK Government shows clearly how badly Westminster is failing the people of Scotland, and why we need to seize the opportunity of independence to build a fairer and more progressive country that looks after its citizens.”