The Greenock Telegraph has invited General Election candidates standing to represent Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West to share their views on key topics relevant to the area.

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

Here’s what Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate Ross Stalker had to say:

“Families and pensioners in Inverclyde are struggling with high energy bills, food prices and housing costs.

“Liberal Democrats will drive a strong economic recovery, bring down energy bills and create clean, secure, well-paid new jobs. 

“We will provide long-term help with the cost of living by cutting energy bills through investing in renewable power and home insulation, tackling rising food prices through a national food strategy, and getting mortgage rates under control through careful economic management.

“Our priority for tax cuts, when the public finances allow, will be to cut income tax by raising the tax-free personal allowance, benefitting the vast majority of families and taking more low-paid workers out of paying income tax altogether.

“We will support pensioners by protecting the triple lock so that pensions always rise in line with inflation, wages or 2.5 per cent – whichever is highest. 

“We have also promised to ensure that women born in the 1950s are finally treated fairly and properly compensated for the delay in receiving their pensions.

“Liberal Democrats would tackle child poverty, which is far too high in Inverclyde, by removing the two-child limit and the benefit cap

“For those who claim benefits we would reduce the wait for the first payment of Universal Credit to five days and replace sanctions with an incentive scheme to help people into work.

“We are committed to helping carers in Inverclyde by giving unpaid carers the support they deserve by increasing Carer’s Allowance and expanding it to more carers, and stopping pursuing carers for old overpayments of the Carer’s Allowance.”