The Scottish Government sets out its Programme for Government on Tuesday afternoon.

In the midst of the on-going cost-of-living crisis it is clear that we need a change of government both in Westminster and Holyrood.  Neither the Tories nor the SNP have the ideas and vision needed to deal with the pressures which families across Scotland face today.

The cost-of-living crisis demonstrates the need for a different type of economy, an economy where wealth and power are shared.  We need an economy with more democratic ownership, we will continue to call on the Scottish Government to do more to promote the co-operative business model in the Scottish economy.

The cost-of-living crisis will sadly mean that many of our fellow citizens will have to choose between heating and eating.  This is a disgrace in 2022.  We have been supporting Rhoda Grant MSP in her attempts to enshrine the Right to Food in Scots Law.  In the Programme for Government the Scottish Government should commit to supporting Rhoda Grant’ s Bill.  It is a disgrace that families are going hungry in Scotland in 2022.

The Co-operative Party has called on the new Prime Minister to tackle the energy crisis for households and for businesses.  There is also much that the Scottish Government can do around energy costs.  The Scottish Government should look to work with local councils to provide a huge expansion in retrofitting energy efficiency schemes for homes and businesses across Scotland.

The current crisis has demonstrated that the ownership model in the energy market does not work.  We are calling on the Scottish Government to do all that they can to promote community co-operative ownership of energy.  They must look at ways of supporting genuine community ownership of renewal energy production.

On Thursday of this week there will be a debate in the Scottish Parliament on the Fair Tax Mark. The Fair Tax Mark is an accreditation scheme that shows that businesses and organisations have paid the correct rate of tax, at the correct time and in the correct jurisdiction.  We are calling on the Scottish Government to ensure that no public money goes to tax avoiders.

The co-operative movement and our party have the ideas and the vision to make a difference to our society.  Our Scottish Co-operative PArty MSPs will contiune to make the case in the Scottish Parliament for a fairer, more co-operative  Scotland.