The SNP’s Westminster leader said Scotland loses “no matter who ends up Prime Minister” following the first television debate of the Conservative leadership election on Friday evening.
Ian Blackford said the debate showed “not a single candidate has the radical thinking to tackle the cost-of-living crisis”.
Five candidates vying to succeed Boris Johnson – Kemi Badenoch, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Tom Tugendhat – appeared at Channel 4’s leadership hustings.
They were quizzed on tackling the cost-of-living crisis to which Kemi Badenoch and Liz Truss both said that as Prime Minister they would scrap some green levies to help tackle rising energy bills.
Kemi Badenoch said removing some green levies would help bring down energy bills (Victoria Jones/PA)
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Ms Badenoch told the Channel 4 debate: “Energy is a subject that worries me a lot. I grew up in Nigeria where there were blackouts every single day, there still are.
“I know what it’s like not to be able to turn on the light, so it terrifies me seeing how high bills are going.
“I think one of the things we can easily do is remove some of the green levies.
“We do need to tackle climate change, but I think the crisis that we’re dealing with now comes first and we need to make life easier for people.”
Liz Truss said the number one priority should be more economic growth (Victoria Jones/PA)
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Ms Truss agreed, saying: “Our number one priority should be getting more economic growth.”
Candidates also said they would not be able to cut more than £150 from yearly energy bills.
Ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “It’s wrong to mis-worry people on this.
“Because, over the course of this year, people are going to receive up to £1,200 off their energy bills – one third of all people, the most vulnerable in our society.”
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said “Scotland loses” no matter who becomes the next Prime Minister (House of Commons/PA)
(PA Wire)
Ian Blackford said: “The Tory-made cost-of-living crisis has seen energy bills soar with huge hikes still to come, yet tonight has proven not a single candidate has the radical thinking to tackle the cost-of-living crisis now.
“The future of the UK is already written: unanimous support for the economic catastrophe that is Brexit, the continuation of a decade of cruel Tory austerity and cuts to the green energy sector in the shadow of COP26.
“But with the full powers of independence, Scotland can escape Westminster control and consign Tory governments to the dustbin of history for good.”