What an extraordinary week it has been.

The Conservatives’ ill-thought out mini-budget has sent the pound crashing to a new low, interest rates rising, mortgage rates going up and the Bank of England having to bail out our pensions.

A budget that lets the rich get richer and the poor shoulder the burden of the cost of living crisis. And having doubled down on their proposals all week there is now a u-turn. The scale of economic incompetence is astonishing to behold.

In the real world, people are rightly concerned about the cost of living crisis and not being able to afford their bills, especially their energy bills.

Keir Starmer set out Labour’s plans for a windfall tax on the oil and gas companies, making eye-watering profits, to help people struggling with energy bills. He also announced a publicly-owned energy company across the UK. Both Labour’s National Wealth Fund and GB Energy company will ensure that the British people have a share in the future wealth of this country which lies in creating energy from our seas, our winds and our skies.

This is part of detailed proposals under Labour’s fully costed Green Prosperity Plan which focuses on creating jobs, leading the way in renewable energy and pushing the UK to the forefront of energy efficient schemes.

Our Green Prosperity Plan will create one million new jobs in towns and cities in every corner of the country including here in Scotland.

This shows real ambition unlike the SNP. Their planned not-for-profit company which promised to sell gas and electricity to customers at low prices, was ditched almost as quickly as it was announced by the First Minister.

In contrast, our energy plans will save consumers money, instead of lining the pockets of gas and oil companies who are raking it in by the billion. It will help those who are struggling and are forced to choose between heating their homes and putting food on the table.

I have already had people contact my office worried about what winter might hold.

Energy Action Scotland is a fantastic organisation intent on ending fuel poverty and they have some great resources available. I would urge anyone concerned about their energy bills to take a look at their website in the first instance at https://www.(eas.org.uk) to find out more about the help which is available.

People in our communities will also be turning to food banks such as West Dunbartonshire Community Foodshare and Food for Thought who both do great work in providing emergency food parcels to people in need as well as signposting them to sources of assistance for the likes of rising energy bills. They need our help with donations so that they can continue to assist people as we approach the start of what may be a long, difficult winter.