Video: Energy statement response
/I have seen first-hand the effects this cost of living crisis is having on people and businesses in my constituency. The UK Government must freeze the energy price cap increase immediately to combat these ridiculous costs.
Visit: Utopia
/In addition to the Brownings visit, the Westminster representatives also stopped by Utopia Computers.
Again, another award winning, family-run, local business based in Kilmarnock. Utopia is a manufacturer of some of the world's most powerful desktops and laptop computers with a team of multi award-winning engineers, thinkers, modders and tech fanatics.
The MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun and SNP Westminster Leader met with Managing Director Craig Hume to discuss concerns over the cost of living.
Like Brownings, Utopia’s energy bills have sold from £2,000 to a staggering £9,000 per year. The Kilmarnock based business is a living wage employer as well as a profit-sharing business and Managing
Director Craig Hume expressed the issues this poses when dealing with the cost of living crisis:
“Obviously the cost of living crisis is a concern for any small business. We have got 13 people here that we are trying to look after and we don’t really see an easy way out at the moment.
“The cost of electricity in this one unit has went from £2,000 to potentially £9,000 per year. At the end of the day we are a profit-sharing business and that comes straight out of the pockets of the people we employ.
He added:
“It was really good to see Alan (Brown) and Ian (Blackford) today as we were able to share our story and get across some our concerns. Also, to get them to understand that we really do want them to push for other solutions beyond that of nuclear energy and fracking - Cop 26 has just passed and we should be looking at renewables and a new way of powering the UK.”
Also commenting, Alan Brown MP and SNP Spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change said:
“I have corresponded with Craig over this issue but it is important to raise further awareness of what is at stake here for local businesses.
"Boris Johnson has destroyed his legacy but he could salvage some of his damaged reputation by scrapping the energy price cap rise as one of his final acts in office.
"Households and businesses need help right now - not months down the line. Westminster has repeatedly refused to devolve powers to Scotland, so it has the responsibility to act.
"By refusing to use its reserved powers to tackle this Tory-made cost of living crisis, Westminster is failing families and making the case for independence."
Commenting, after visiting both businesses Mr Blackford said:
"The cost-of-living crisis is growing worse by the day - yet we have a Prime Minister missing in action and two Tory leadership candidates who are refusing to put forward any sort of plan to support people through it.
“Households need help right now - and many businesses are on the verge of closing their doors. They can’t afford to wait weeks or months more, without knowing when, what or whether any meaningful support will come.
"This was made clear on my recent trip to Kilmarnock with my colleague and constituency MP Alan Brown. Brownings the Bakers revealed that their energy bills had jumped from £4000 to £11,000 per week, and Utopia Computers had seen an increase of £7000 per year.
“By refusing to use its reserved powers to tackle the Tory-made cost of living crisis, the Westminster government has abandoned households and businesses. It must now get a grip and stop passing the buck, reverse the energy price cap rise, and recall parliament immediately to deliver an emergency budget that provides the support people need - including scrapping VAT on fuel, doubling support for households, and introducing an energy price cap and grants for businesses."
Visit: Brownings the Bakers
/Last week (Friday 26th August 2022) Alan Brown MP was joined by the SNP’s Westminster Leader at Brownings the Bakers in his constituency.
The Westminster representatives met with Brownings Director Matthew Short, CEO of Scottish Bakers Alasdair Smith and Managing Director of McGhee’s Bakery Gordon McGhee.
The MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun was joined by Mr Blackford as they visited the family-run business to discuss the cost of living crisis.
Brownings contacted Mr Brown previously about their energy costs as they have gone from paying £4,000 per week to £11,000 per week before being offered £17,000 per week for a two-year fixed costs contract. The MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun raised the matter directly with Chancellor Rishi Sunak in March but was unsatisfied with the response to his question.
Mr Brown and Mr Blackford have called for the energy price cap increase to be scrapped and for parliament to be recalled immediately.
Commenting, Mr Brown said:
“Brownings is a family-run business synonymous with Kilmarnock and the Irvine Valley. They are a big employer in the area and to hear of the difficulties that lie ahead with the cost of living crisis is heartbreaking.
“I raised their case in Parliament back in March with the Chancellor who palmed it off, as he does. These businesses need real help and not a mere £1,000 tax cut.
“To go from paying £4,000 per week to £17,000 is horrifying and completely unsustainable.
“As is the same with everyone, it’s fuel costs as well. A big part of the business is distribution and the cost of fuel is equally as ridiculous. This is something else I have written to the Chancellor about as I have supported the Road Haulage Association’s plan for an Essential User Rebate of 15p per litre on fuel duty in order to protect businesses in my constituency as well as UK-wide.
“The Tories must stop burying their heads in the sand and recall parliament immediately to freeze the price cap and deliver pandemic levels of support, including scrapping VAT on fuel, doubling help for households, and introducing an energy price cap and grants for small businesses.
”With every day Westminster fails to act, it is proving that gaining the full powers of independence is the only way to keep Scotland safe."
Brownings the Bakers Director Matthew Short added:
"We spend £4,000 every week on electricity, and when our new contract came around that shot up to £17,000 per week. The headline inflation figures of 10 to 12% are not the figures we are seeing; we’re paying 120% more for our vegetable oil than a year ago, 50% more for the meat in our pies, 100% for butter and the list goes on.
"We are right in the middle of Scottish society, we value our role, and we are very close to our consumers, and they’re struggling. The idea of us just passing our costs on to them is not realistic because people will ultimately not be able to afford to eat.
"We’re asking the government to come up with a solution because it’s not just Brownings the Bakers who are dealing with this, and it’s not just bakeries, it’s every food producer in Scotland."
Mr Blackford also added:
"The cost-of-living crisis is growing worse by the day - yet we have a Prime Minister missing in action and two Tory leadership candidates who are refusing to put forward any sort of plan to support people through it.
“Households need help right now - and many businesses are on the verge of closing their doors. They can’t afford to wait weeks or months more, without knowing when, what or whether any meaningful support will come.
"This was made clear on my recent trip to Kilmarnock with my colleague and constituency MP Alan Brown. Brownings the Bakers revealed that their energy bills had jumped from £4000 to £11,000 per week, and Utopia Computers had seen an increase of £7000 per year.
“By refusing to use its reserved powers to tackle the Tory-made cost of living crisis, the Westminster government has abandoned households and businesses. It must now get a grip and stop passing the buck, reverse the energy price cap rise, and recall parliament immediately to deliver an emergency budget that provides the support people need - including scrapping VAT on fuel, doubling support for households, and introducing an energy price cap and grants for businesses."
Visit: Beatrice Windfarm
/A great trip offshore to see Beatrice Windfarm. Thanks to SSE for arranging. Given the cost of energy crisis we need even greater deployment of renewables. This also means grid upgrades and fair grid charges instead of Scottish Generators paying the highest in Europe.
Rugby Park Pop-Up Surgery
/It was fantastic to host a pop-up surgery at Rugby Park last weekend. This has been a few years in the making but due to the pandemic have been unable to find the right time.
The foodbank collection was a major success, so a massive well done to Killie Foodbanks and the Killie Trust for their work on this.
I must have been a good luck charm with Killie picking up our first league win of the season - I’ll be available every home game if they need me!
Visit: Port of Nigg
/It was a pleasure to visit Port of Nigg on 19th August 2022 and see the amazing work ongoing - traditional oil and gas but massive expansion into offshore renewables.
Exciting proposals for the biggest fabrication factory in Europe deserves full support.
The photos don't do justice to the scale of the structures.
Visit: Stewarton Annick Girls
/Stewarton Annick:
“It was fantastic to be able to welcome Alan Brown MP along to our Stewarton Annick Girls FC training session last night (11th August). A great opportunity to discuss challenges in Stewarton related to sustaining, and growing further, girls and boys participation in football in the Bonnet Toun.”
Southcraigs Street Surgery
/On 10th August 2022, I held my first street surgery since the start of the pandemic.
I was joined by local councillors - Graham Barton, Elaine Cowan, David Richardson, Neal Ingram and Stephen Canning. My staff members Margaret, Caroline and Isaac were also in attendance.
It was great to be out and about in Southcraigs and what a day we had for it. Thank you to everyone who took the time to speak with us and raise important issues. As a team, we managed to chap more than 300 doors and we have taken on a number of enquiries as a result.
If you would like to make a surgery appointment or raise an issue, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at alan.brown.mp@parliament.uk or by phone on 01563 501412
Visit: The Book Nook
/The Book Nook:
“It was a great pleasure to welcome Alan Brown MP to The Book Nook yesterday. Alan is also excited that a business in his constituency won the Favourite Family Business UK Award - he even got a hold of the trophy!
“We had a great book chat and Alan was very interested to hear of all the wider offerings of The Book Nook - the author events, Junior Book Nook Club, BookNookers book club, children's workshops, competitions and all the other book related fun we have.
“Thanks for your visit Alan and look forward to seeing you again soon.”
Also commenting, Mr Brown said:
“It was a pleasure to stop by and I ended up purchasing four new books!
“What a fantastic set-up, please get down and have a look around.
“I look forward to visiting again soon, thanks for having me.”
Southcraigs Street Surgery
/Next week (Wednesday 10th August) Alan Brown MP will be hosting a Street Surgery in Southcraigs in Kilmarnock.
The representative for Kilmarnock and Loudoun will be joined by local councillors Elaine Cowan and David Richardson, who are elected in Kilmarnock North, as well as his office staff.
The MP aims to hit more than 300 doors in his first in-person Street Surgery since covid.
The elected members and staff will be chapping constituent's doors in; Auchentiber Place, Boydston Way, Burns Crescent, Burns Way, Dalgarven Mews, Darvel Avenue, Fenwick Close, Galston Place, Hollybush Place, Lugar Wynd, Mauchline Court, Newmilns Garden, Priestland Close, Stewarton Crescent, Tarbolton Place, Wallacetown Avenue and Westfield Road.
Residents of these streets will have received a letter from the office of Alan Brown notifying them of his presence in the area on Wednesday afternoon.
Commenting, the MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun said:
“I am really looking forward to getting out and chapping doors again. Of course, in the lead-up to the local council elections, I was out campaigning and door knocking but before the pandemic Street Surgeries were becoming a regular feature in my constituency engagement.
“Teaming up with the councillors will be a welcome addition too as their expertise will be useful for any local government and council matters.
"Last year, in the middle of the pandemic, I had a Virtual Street Surgery for residents in Stewarton but nothing compares to the real thing.
“This will actually be my first in Kilmarnock as before I was targeting some of the outlying areas of the constituency. Street Surgeries are a great way of engaging with constituents and I am trying to get away from the stigma that politicians only chap doors at election time.
“I am well aware that some residents will be at work or not at home, therefore, we will be posting leaflets with my contact information and details of my next surgery.
“This is important as it shows my constituents I am always accessible and they can get in touch at any time for assistance.”
Press Release: Energy Bills 'out of control'
/Alan Brown MP has said the Tory government has allowed the cost of living crisis to spiral ‘out of control’ as new forecasts show energy bills are set to triple - with the average energy bill likely to rise to £500 for January 2023 alone.
The forecast, by utilities consultants BFY, also predicts that the price cap could rise to £3,850 by the end of the year - far exceeding what has previously been predicted. That’s nearly 4x the cost compared to July 2021.
MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun and SNP’s Shadow Energy Minister, Alan Brown has criticised the governing Tory party for prioritising ‘pathetic’ internal squabbles over the real issues of the day, and called for ‘real action’ and a swift package of support to help households cope with rising bills and inflation.
The predictions come after leading anti-poverty organisation, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said in a recent report that the Cost of Living Support package announced in May 2022 will provide some temporary relief, but for many, the one-off payments will barely touch the sides.
Commenting, Alan Brown MP said:
“The Tory-made cost of living crisis is now completely out of control, with forecasts showing annual bills could come in at just under £4,000 in a mere matter of months.
“This spells a very grim winter for tens of millions of households across the UK, and with no help in sight there’s no telling how high bills will go and how much misery people will be forced to endure.
“How many more people must be forced to choose between heating or eating before the Tories wake up to the brutal reality of life in Conservative Britain and take action?
“But of course they’re too busy prioritising their own pathetic internal squabbles to pay any heed to the suffering their rule has enforced on the country.
“Lame leadership pledges of green levy and VAT cuts won’t make a jot of difference, nor will tax cuts designed to help the richest. We know this also means a doubling down on the ideology-driven austerity agenda that helped get us into this mess in the first place.
“What’s needed is real action and a swift package of support for households struggling with out of control bills and rising inflation, but there’s a fat chance of it happening under Westminster control.
“Boris Johnson wasn’t up to the task, his two potential successors aren’t either, especially given one of them spent months as Chancellor refusing to offer real support to struggling households and failed to get a grip on rising inflation.
“The Westminster system is clearly broken beyond repair. No amount of tinkering around the edges or a changing of the guard will usher in action to actually help the most vulnerable, all the more reason Scotland needs independence so we can chart our own course and put the cost of living crisis front and centre.
“Thankfully Scots will have the opportunity to free themselves from the grasp of undemocratic and unconcerned Tory rule forever by voting Yes to independence on October 19 2023.”
