Aberdeenshire MSP calls on Truss to show how plans for cost-of-living crisis will help Aberdeenshire household on North-east visit
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Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin has called on Tory leadership candidate Liz Truss to answer how she plans to tackle the cost-of-living crisis on a visit to the north-east.
Ms Truss – who is currently the favourite to become the next Prime Minister – will be visiting Aberdeen on Tuesday afternoon at a private event to try and sway local members she’s the right candidate for the job.
Now the South West Norfolk MP is being challenged to answer how she plans to help households in the north-east after figures revealed those living in Aberdeenshire face the seventh highest energy bills in the UK.
Households in Aberdeenshire are paying on average £2004 per year – an estimate that does not include the most recent projections by Cornwall Insights last week.
Annual energy bills are now forecast to top £4,00 from January, triggering a warning that homeowners face “serious hardship on a massive scale” without government intervention.
The consultancy Cornwall Insight said earlier this month that it expected the energy price cap to reach £4266 a year for the first three months of next year.
And the consultancy has also forecast that bills could then rise to £4426 in April before easing.
According to data from comparethemarket.com release in June, households in Aberdeenshire are already paying 36.3% more than the price cap that is set to be introduced in October this year.
The data also showed that people across Scotland are paying more on their bills than compared to England and Wales.
Commenting, Gillian Martin MSP said: “Liz Truss may be speaking to her party faithful at her Aberdeen meeting but the fact is, once she’s in power she’ll not be able to just trot out right-wing, crowd-pleasing slogans and anecdotes; she’ll have to present a programme for government which is equipped to meet this current crisis.
“People in my area are asking why domestic fuel prices in Aberdeenshire are the seventh highest in the UK with some already behind in payments as a result.
“The people I represent are worried about their energy bills this winter which will cause their finances to spiral even further.
“This is a particular issue in rural areas across my constituency where many are relying on traditional oil fired heating which the UK government has not recognised in any plans to help alleviate fuel costs.
“The people of north-east Scotland, like everyone in the UK, will be demanding meaningful action from the new Prime Minister to get them through the cost-of-living crisis.
“There are real life consequences for families, older people and those living alone which will only get worse – making stark choices over food or fuel and the many basic needs so many of us take for granted.
“Ms Truss can’t count on a closed meeting to shield her from these issues- the people of Aberdeenshire will be watching and waiting for some sign that she understands how worried people are, and cares enough to take action.”
