Holyrood watches and waits for Wesminster's emergency budget - Angus Robertson

There is no doubt we are heading towards a difficult winter. Governments the world over have begun to take urgent and sweeping measures.

In the UK, we have been careering towards the crisis while the outgoing Prime Minister spent the summer having parties and going on multiple holidays. Now, the public will have to wait at least a week to hear what the Government is going to do, as Liz Truss revealed in an interview on Sunday morning.

So far, the only suggestion from the Tories to help with the cost of living is former Tory MP Edwina Currie’s advice to put tinfoil down the back of our radiators. Make of that what you will.

Meanwhile, in Germany, Olaf Schultz has announced 65 billion euros of help, bringing the total help given to citizens to near 100 billion euros.

Boris Johnson spent the summer having parties and going on multiple holidays, says Angus Robertson (Picture Chris Radburn/Pool/Getty Images)

France capped its energy price rise a four per cent compared to the UK’s 80 per cent – which is set to rise further. Ireland has given out energy credits, reduced tax on gas, electricity, petrol and diesel, and cut bus and train fares. Since late 2021, Spain has progressively reduced VAT on electricity bills from 21 per cent to five per cent. They also gave a 15 per cent rise in pensions for the most vulnerable and a €200 payment to people on incomes of less than €14,000.

The Scottish Government has been ready to act but needs the UK Government to announce its emergency budget in order to know what consequential finance will be allocated. We have committed to announcing a cost of living spending review within two weeks of the new UK Government’s delayed emergency budget. Better still would be to have the normal powers of an independent country.