STV NewsLiz Truss insists she wants to work with Nicola Sturgeon to deal with the energy crisis and grow Scotland’s economy.
The Prime Minister gave a series of media interviews on Thursday in her first public remarks since the mini-budget last week.
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng announced the biggest programme of tax cuts for 50 years using more than £70bn in increased borrowing.
However, the plans led to a dramatic fall in the value of the pound with turmoil in the financial markets.
Despite fear over the impact of the cuts, including from the International Monetary Fund who urged the chancellor to re-evaluate the measures, Truss insisted ministers are “doing all we can” to keep the economy on track.
“What we are doing is we’re taking decisive action,” the Prime Minister told the BBC on Thursday.
“If you remember, when I came in as prime minister, people across the country were facing energy bills of up to £6,000, we were facing very high inflation and an economic slowdown.
“And what we’ve done through our energy price guarantee, which comes in on October 1, is making sure that the typical household isn’t paying more than £2,500.
“We’re making sure that people aren’t facing tax rises in areas like National Insurance and we’re also making sure that we’re doing all we can to keep the economy track.”
Truss stated that the Government has “done what we can” to help people amid the cost of living crisis.
She said: “What we’re seeing across the world is pressure on global economies because of Putin’s war in Ukraine.
“So in the United States, we’ve seen interest rates going up, we’re seeing pressure on currencies around the world.
“And of course in Britain, we have the independent Bank of England that makes the decisions about interest rates.
“But, what we have done is a government is done what we can to help people in these very difficult economic times.”
The Prime Minister underlined her intention for nuclear power stations to be built in Scotland.
It is despite the Scottish Government having stated that its opposition to nuclear power will not change.
“What I want to do is work with Nicola Sturgeon to deal with our energy crisis,” said Truss.
“That’s about making sure we’re producing more home-grown energy. I’m keen to use more of the resources in the North Sea.
“Also (to) see more nuclear power stations built across the country, including in Scotland.”
She added: “I’m very keen to talk to Nicola Sturgeon about that because I think it will help us make sure we have long-term energy security, that alongside wind power in Scotland, we also have nuclear power in Scotland.”
Truss claimed that the action being taken by her government has helped to hold down people’s energy bills.
“There is a fundamental point here about what is happening internationally,” Truss said.
“Internationally, we are seeing interest rates rising in response to Putin’s war in Ukraine.
“And the actions we have taken, as the UK Government, is making sure that we are holding people’s energy bills down, and we’ve had to borrow to do that, but we will get borrowing back on track.
“But also making sure that we aren’t putting people’s taxes up at this very difficult economic time.”
The Prime Minister suggested that she will work with Scotland’s First Minister to “turbo-charge” the country’s economy.
She said: “I am very keen to work with Nicola Sturgeon to make sure we grow the Scottish economy.
“Scotland is a country that has fantastic entrepreneurs, fantastic exports.
“I believe that by improving infrastructure, by reducing taxes, we can really turbo-charge the Scottish economy.
“I’m keen to work with Nicola Sturgeon on that.”
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