Highlands & Islands MSP urges Chancellor to do more to tackle cost of living crisis

SNP MSP for the Highlands & Islands, Emma Roddick, has urged the UK Conservative Chancellor to introduce an emergency budget to support families in the face of the rising cost of living. The MSP argued that an emergency budget should include the delivery of a Real Living Wage, a reversal to the Universal Credit cut and measures to change the Chancellor’s current energy loan into a grant.

Roddick’s calls come as household energy bills are expected to rise to between £2,000 and £3,000 per year. This, when combined with rising food prices and an increase in National Insurance, means that families across the Highlands & Islands will be pushed into poverty.

Commenting, Roddick said that “despite the best efforts of the SNP Scottish Government to lift families out of poverty with game-changing policies, such as the Scottish Child Payment, it is still working to mitigate the callous decisions and inactions of the UK Tory Government…it is only with the full powers of independence can we support every family in Scotland and build a fairer country.”