Scots are being left in the cold with Winter Fuel Payment decision

I joined the SNP shortly after Alex Salmond signed Jimmy Reid up as a member because then, and for many years to follow, it was a vibrant movement, dedicated to the cause of self-determination and social justice but now it appears adrift, entangled in a web of the sort of issues that a prolonged period of navel-gazing elevates in importance.

Once the stalwart defender of Scottish interests, the SNP have lost their way, consumed by post-material issues that will never help build a bigger tent for independence, while failing to address the pressing concerns that resonate with the hearts of the Scottish people.

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The recent decision to mirror the UK Government’s scrapping of winter fuel payments rather than challenging it is just one example of how the party has lost sight of its core mission.

Last week, we witnessed an extraordinary announcement regarding the development of a new electricity superhighway.

This highway will see five times the electricity Scotland needs sent to England. It is the sort of natural resource that any developed nation would be envious of and it has well and truly silenced those that previously sneered when Alex Salmond (below) once said that Scotland had the potential to become the “Saudi Arabia of renewables”.

(Image: PA)

This initiative, while welcome in its ambition to enhance energy infrastructure, starkly highlights the absurdity of our current situation: Scotland generates more electricity than it consumes, yet we have pensioners and vulnerable families living in fuel poverty.

And this winter close to a million Scottish pensioners will have money snatched from their pockets against this backdrop. How can it be that a nation rich in renewable resources – on top of our oil and gas wealth – is simultaneously grappling with the shame of energy poverty?

The SNP’s failure to seize this opportunity to confront Westminster and demand a fair deal is indicative of a party that has staggered on to a path that few now recognise.

The scrapping of winter fuel payments by the UK Government was a critical moment, one that demanded a robust response from the SNP. It was an utterly bizarre decision of the new Labour chancellor to determine after only one week of being in Number 11 Downing Street that the best way to balance the books was to declare war on millions of pensioners across the UK.

And it makes no economic sense. Labour offered change but instead they have decided to make sure there will be no spare change left in the pockets of many hard-pressed pensioners.

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Instead of using this as a rallying cry to challenge Westminster’s decisions and to advocate for the most vulnerable in our society, the SNP chose to adopt a similar policy. This is not merely a failure of political courage; it is a betrayal of the very principles that underpin the party’s existence. The SNP should be standing firm against the UK Government’s austerity measures.

Moreover, the SNP’s current fixation on post-material issues has diverted attention from the pressing needs of the Scottish people. While these issues are undoubtedly important to those that advocate them, they pale in comparison to the immediate concerns of those struggling to make ends meet.

Gender politics and a new cycle lane for every street in Scotland may well be the most important issues to the likes of the Greens but they are nothing in comparison to the necessity to put roofs over people’s heads and food on their tables. The focus on identity politics has been allowed to overshadow the fundamental issues that impact the lives of everyday Scots.

The entire energy of the Scottish Government should be directed towards building a broad coalition that champions social welfare, economic prosperity for all, and the eradication of fuel poverty.

It is not just a matter of energy generation; it is about ensuring that the benefits of our resources are shared equitably among all Scots. Scotland’s vast amount of cheap electricity should be benefitting our pockets and should be attracting the energy intensive industry of the future to Scotland along with the hundreds of thousands of jobs it would bring with it.

Instead, just like our oil and gas wealth was sent to the London treasury for five decades, for the next century, Scotland’s energy will be sent south for zilch.

The Scottish Government must address the glaring inconsistency between our energy output and the reality of fuel poverty. There is a palpable disconnect between lofty ambitions for renewable energy and the everyday struggles faced by our pensioners and low-income families.

The path to Scottish independence, for most Scots, will not be based solely around constitutional debates or ideological purity; it is about improving the lives of our citizens. The Scottish Government must reclaim its role as a champion for the people, focusing on policies that build a broad coalition in support of independence.

The fight for a fairer Scotland must be at the forefront, engaging those who feel disenfranchised and unheard, and putting Scotland’s energy potential at the heart of that argument.

That’s the sort of grown-up position Alba Party have been advocating and every single contribution Ash Regan MSP makes at Holyrood is centred on those principles.

To reinvigorate the independence movement, the Scottish Government must prioritise tangible issues that resonate with Scots across the country and across the political spectrum.

The fight against fuel poverty, the protection of the welfare state, fighting to save Scottish industry and the demand for a fair energy deal should be the rallying points to face down Westminster.

These are not just abstract concepts; they are the lived experiences of countless individuals who right now in the run up to the next Scottish Parliament elections will be looking to political parties and the Scottish and UK governments to see who best understands those concerns – those that do, and offer solutions, will be those that win big in 2026.

Alba Party in our roots focus on the issues that truly matter to the Scottish people. By embracing a broader vision that prioritises the welfare of the nation, social and economic justice, and energy fairness, we can forge a path towards independence that resonates with all Scots.

It is time to move beyond the labyrinth of post-material politics and confront the pressing challenges that define our nation today.

The fight for independence is not merely a political goal; it is a moral imperative that requires clarity, courage, and unwavering commitment to the people of Scotland – not to those only interested in what the power of government can do for them.