A Renfrewshire MP has demanded urgent action from the UK government to financially support families with spiralling energy costs.
Gavin Newlands has spoken out following a study which found that 70 per cent of those living in Scotland will fall into fuel poverty by January 2023 without further action from the UK government..
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He said: “The UK Tory government must immediately come out of hiding and take urgent action to address spiralling energy costs - people cannot wait until the Tories have decided who their next leader will be.
“Any action must include scrapping the energy price cap, doubling the energy grant, bringing in an energy price cap for businesses, and implementing another broader windfall tax.”
The Paisley and Renfrewshire North MP has called on the UK government to:
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Scrap the energy price cap
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Double the energy grant to £800 and ensure all payments are made by the beginning of October
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Introduce an energy price cap for Small and Medium Enterprises
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Bring in a further windfall tax and extend it to include all large businesses who made significant profits during the pandemic
Mr Newlands added: “While the SNP Scottish Government is doing what it can with its limited powers to help people in Scotland through the Tory-made cost-of-living crisis, including spending £700m mitigating the bedroom tax and benefit cap, it is the UK government that has the powers that will make the most difference.
“So I am urging Tory ministers to stop passing the buck and take responsibility for supporting people with their energy bills - otherwise millions will be pushed into, or further into, poverty and destitution, and lives could be lost.
“For as long as the UK government fails to act, Scotland’s need for independence grows. Only with the full powers of independence can we properly support households and businesses in Scotland, and escape Westminster control for good.”
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