SNP MP for Argyll and Bute, Brendan O’Hara has called last week’s mini-budget ‘an insult’ to rural communities.
The Chancellor’s decision to remove the cap on Bankers Bonus’ and slash income tax for the very rich has been condemned by Argyll and Bute MP, Brendan O’Hara, who also described the planned paltry £100 one-off payment for those in rural communities, and who are not connected to the gas grid, as “an insult”, warning that already vulnerable people could die this winter as they struggle to meet the cost of skyrocketing heating oil prices.
Commenting, Brendan O’Hara MP said: “The Tories’ utter contempt for those in poverty has never been more apparent than it is now. At a time of grave economic hardship for millions of people, the Tories have chosen to make a few city bankers richer and to give enormous tax breaks to the already wealthy in our society.
“They have also chosen to leave vulnerable households in rural areas at risk of financial destitution over the coming winter.
“As a direct result of the decisions taken, here in Argyll and But, many of those living in the 65 per cent of homes which are not connected to the gas grid are going to face a near impossible choice this winter – to heat, or to eat – and the Chancellor’s offer of a one-off payment of a paltry £100 is frankly insulting and doesn’t go anywhere near meeting the needs of the majority of people in Argyll and Bute who do not have access to the gas grid.”
Mr O’Hara continued: “I fear that the elderly, disabled and economically vulnerable households of Argyll and Bute and throughout Scotland are going to face an extremely tough winter – one which may well result in loss of life as many poorer households simply won’t be able to fill up their heating oil tank when it runs empty.
“The UK Government knows that this is the case and I am beyond dismayed that both Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng have chosen not to introduce a system in which heating oil is regulated and subjected to caps like the gas and electricity market are.”
