Writing in today’s Courier ahead of tomorrow’s local elections, the first minister insists SNP councillors are needed to limit the cost of living pressure on households across Tayside and Fife

Across Scotland, bills will be dropping through the letterboxes of thousands of households this month.

Many people will be terrified to open them. Families will be finding their bags of food shopping considerably more expensive than they used to be.

And when pay packets drop this month people will find they have less money in their pockets.

The severity of the cost of living crisis we are currently living through is unlike anything most of us have known in our lifetimes.

It has been presided over by the Tories at Westminster, who have implemented policies which have led to a reduction in people’s incomes for the past decade.

The UK Government has compounded that this year by sitting on their hands as people across the country have to make the unthinkable decision on whether to feed themselves or heat their homes.

The Tory chancellor Rishi Sunak’s response to the crisis has been woefully inadequate.

He has done next to nothing to help people with the cost of energy bills, fuel prices, or food shortages – at the same time as shamefully cutting £20 a week from Universal Credit at a time when people need it the most.

During the SNP’s time in government, we have used our limited powers to reduce household bills.

Taxpayers in Scotland get the best deal in the UK by paying lower income tax and saving an average of £600 on council tax bills, compared with England.

We have also built a social security system built on fairness, dignity and respect which has seen us introduce the Scottish Child Payment, described by leading charities as a “game-changing” benefit.

The payment has just been doubled to £20 a week and will be increased to £25 by the end of the year.

We would like to go further to tackle the Tory cost of living crisis. But the majority of the economic levers still lie with the UK Government.

However, SNP councillors will continue to do all they can to ease the pressure on household incomes.

These elections are your chance to elect SNP councillors who have your best interests at heart.

On Thursday, people across Scotland can lock Tory politicians out of council chambers.

Please don’t sit this election out.

Have your voice heard on the things that matter to you and elect SNP councillors who will have your priorities and local communities at the front and centre of their minds.