STEPHEN FLYNN

LEADER OF THE SNP IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS EVERY SECOND MONDAY

You’ve got the heaters turned down in the rooms you don’t use but that doesn’t stop the bills costing a fortune.

You nip round to the shops for some bread and it’s gone up again.

You get back to the house, the place you’ve worked so hard for, and the cost of keeping the roof over your head just grows and grows.

The insurance, the bus ticket, a pint, it all adds up.

You look to Westminster for answers. Instead, you see the Tories once again tearing themselves apart over how quick they can get folk on a plane to Rwanda.

The cost of their grim Rwanda policy will top £400million and not a single person has boarded a plane.

The sad reality is that there is an obvious solution here. Undermine the

Spare a thought for Michael Tomlinson, a hapless Tory minister. asked live on Sky what box set he enjoys, he instead blundered into proclaiming himself a sports fan who doesn’t watch TV. Quizzed as to what football team he supports, he couldn’t answer, before excitedly blurting out Wimborne Town Football Club. Interesting. What was their last result? ach, he didn’t know. But wait, the last time he was at one of their games “lots of goals” were scored and it was exciting. Before confirming it finished 1-1. Sometimes its best to say nothing, or you’ll score an own goal.

Small boats obsession shows Tories all at sea

scumbag criminal gangs by introducing Government processing centres in France and elsewhere. It’s called creating “safe and legal” routes.

But the Tories won’t do it, and here’s why.

They want to use the Rwanda policy to deflect from their failure to act on the cost-of-living crisis and a failing economy.

It’s straight out of the populist right-wing playbook, and nobody should be fooled into thinking otherwise.

Rishi Sunak called a press conference last Thursday to demand that the unelected House of Lords don’t slow down or try to block his Rwanda plans.

The irony of the Tories arguing with that most quintessential British institution won’t be lost on many.

But more importantly, when was the Prime Minister’s last press conference on the cost-of-living crisis?

Where is Sunak’s anger and determination to put that right? The silence is deafening and it’s no surprise. Because the Tories just don’t get it, and never will.

Thankfully, in Scotland, we’ve got a government that does and its why the SNP is using the limited powers it has to try to shelter you from the storm down south.

Those who have kids will see them born into a baby box.

As they grow, they’ll get 1140 hours of free nursery care before tucking into free school meals.

If they’re in a house where money is tight, the Scottish Child Payment will provide £25 a week to give them a childhood free from poverty.

A subsequent university education won’t cost a penny and if they choose a job or apprenticeship instead then they’ll be part of a system that sees the top earners pay more, whilst a majority of Scots pay less than anywhere on these isles.

Get a house and the council tax bill will be frozen this year whilst the water flowing out the tap is from a company that we all own.

Fall ill, and your prescriptions will be covered and grow old knowing that you’ll be able to access free personal care. All this, and so much more, is worth protecting.

But as Tory austerity continues to bite, the pot of cash we have available here in Scotland continues to shrink.

It’s this reality that makes it all the more depressing to hear Labour’s likely new chancellor, Rachel Reeves, refusing to rule out sticking to those very Tory spending plans causing all the damage if Labour win the general election.

Then again, it’s no surprise given the fact that her boss, Keir Starmer, answered “no” when asked if he would tax the super-rich and redistribute it to the poorest.

I know how I’d answer that question. I know how most folk in Scotland would answer that question.

It’s just another example as to why it’s so important that the SNP continues to serve as Scotland’s voice in Westminster, standing up for our values and protecting our future.