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 Conservative candidate Ted Runciman had to say:

"To support working people and secure a stronger economy

"❱ Cut tax for workers by taking another 2p off employee National Insurance so that we will have halved it from 12 per cent at the beginning of this year to 6 per cent by April 2027, a total tax cut of £1,350 for the average worker on £35,000 – and the next step in our long-term ambition to end the double tax on work when financial conditions allow.

"❱ Cut taxes to support the self-employed by abolishing the main rate of self-employed National Insurance entirely by the end of the Parliament.

"❱ Cut tax for pensioners with the new Triple Lock Plus, guaranteeing that both the State Pension and the tax-free allowance for pensioners always rise with the highest of inflation, earnings or 2.5 per cent – so the new State Pension doesn’t get dragged into income tax.

" ❱ Give working parents 30 hours of free childcare a week from when their child is nine months old to when they start school, saving eligible families an average of £6,900 per year.

 "❱ End the unfairness in Child Benefit by moving to a household system, so families don’t start losing Child Benefit until their combined income reaches £120,000 – saving the average family which benefits £1,500.

"❱ Cut the cost of net zero for consumers by taking a more pragmatic approach, guaranteeing no new green levies or charges while accelerating the rollout of renewables.

"❱ Seize the benefits of Brexit by signing further trade deals, speeding up infrastructure and unblocking 100,000 homes, cutting red tape for business, and create more fishing opportunities.

"Deliver 1.6 million well-designed homes in the right places while protecting our countryside, permanently abolish Stamp Duty for homes up to £425,000 for first time buyers and introduce a new Help to Buy scheme

"Retain key tax incentives that encourage small businesses to grow, including the Enterprise Investment Scheme, Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, Venture Capital Trusts, Business Asset Disposal Relief, Agricultural Property Relief and Business Relief. We will not increase Capital Gains Tax.

"As a result of our personal tax cuts and increases in the minimum wage, the take-home pay of someone working full The Conservative and Unionist Party Manifesto 2024 15 time on the National Living Wage has gone up by 35 per cent in real terms since 2010. We will maintain the National Living Wage in each year of the next Parliament at two-thirds of median earnings.

"Continuing to uprate the State Pension in line with the highest of prices, earnings or 2.5 per cent.

"On current forecasts, this will mean the new State Pension increases by a further £430 in April next year to £11,970; and increases by £1,685 a year to £13,200 by the end of the Parliament.

"Ensuring that from next year the tax-free personal allowance for pensioners also rises by the highest of prices, earnings or 2.5 per cent, guaranteeing that the new State Pension is always below the tax-free threshold.

" From April 2025, we will increase the personal allowance for pensioners by introducing a new age-related personal allowance.

"This is a tax cut of around £100 for eight million pensioners next year – rising to £275 a year by the end of the Parliament.

"Under our new Pensions Tax Guarantee, the Conservatives will not introduce any new taxes on pensions.

"We will maintain the 25 per cent tax free lump sum and maintain tax relief on pension contributions at their marginal rate."