Inverclyde SNP candidate Ronnie Cowan on cost-of-living crisis

This week, we asked the candidates how they would best combat the cost-of-living crisis.

Here’s what SNP candidate Ronnie Cowan had to say:

“There are two facts about the cost-of-living crisis about which we must be absolutely clear.

“The crisis has been needlessly brought about by flawed Conservative and Unionist policies that the Labour Party will continue to support, and the SNP Scottish government has done everything it can with our restricted financial powers to mitigate the austerity.

“The SNP Scottish government has introduced the Scottish child payment of £26.70 per week, per child up to age 16, free personal care for all who need it (£248.70 per week for personal care and £111.90 per week for nursing care), created social security Scotland and seven benefits not available in the rest of the U.K., mitigated the bedroom tax to the tune of £74.8 million, mitigated the child benefit tax £7.8 million.

“Along with 1,140 hours of free childcare worth £4,900 per year, free university tuition worth £5,790 per year.

“The SNP government spend £134 million per year mitigating Westminster policies.

“That money could be spent elsewhere in Scotland if Westminster legislated with some compassion.

“Our budget is limited, our borrowing powers are almost zero and addressing the issue in its entirety can’t be done while we remain part of the United Kingdom.

“While England swings back and forth in its support for Conservative and Labour, nothing will change for those that are most vulnerable.

“I am a supporter of universal basic income, which many believe could eradicate poverty, but we are once again restricted in what we can do with that by Westminster.

“We need the powers to enact the societal restructuring that is required.

“We need all the fiscal powers, complete control over our welfare system and we can only get that through independence.”