We asked people from charities to business, and from high streets to oil rigs, what they think of the new prime minister’s plans.
They had one thing in common – a deep worry about a cost-of-living crisis.
Here’s what they had to say about the future under Liz Truss.
The pub owner
Don Lawson, owner of Inverness institution Johnny Foxes and The Den, says the new prime minister must tackle the energy crisis – and rising fuel bills – head on.
The pub owner faces expected energy bills of £28,000 over the next 12 months at his venues – more than double the £12,000 he was expecting in April.
He said it is “all the talk” amongst the licensed trade at the moment.
The local businessman, who is also chairman of Inverness Pub Watch, added: “The new prime minister will have to get a grip of that.
“Other sectors will be feeling it as well.
“One or two pubs will go to the wall.
“The independents are going to really struggle.”
Mr Lawson said Ms Truss should get an “opportunity” to deliver, adding his own piece of advice: “The pub industry would welcome a proposed five per cent cut in VAT.”
The concerned food bank volunteer
Evan Adamson, who works as a community connector at Instant Neighbour food bank in Aberdeen, says he has concerns around Ms Truss’ plans to cut taxes.
The new leader has vowed to reverse the rise in national insurance despite it directly benefitting higher earners.
We’ve got people six months ago that were donating to us monthly who are now coming for help.”
– Evan Adamson.
Mr Adamson wants Ms Truss’ government to stop the promotion of food banks which he says are being used as a “fix” to “prop up the welfare system”.
He believes the energy crisis should be the “priority” of the new prime minister, with rising fuel bills set to hit a “lot of people” across society.
Mr Adamson added: “I suppose what my concern is with Liz Truss is that Rishi Sunak offered tailored help for those most in need.
“She is speaking about dropping back the national insurance rise and on green taxes.
“I think she’s trying to appeal to the old school Tories.
“I don’t feel very hopeful to be honest.”
Mr Adamson was forced to drop the size of emergency food parcels – which provide 2-3 days of sustenance – early this year to about two-thirds of their original size.
This was done in a bid to minimise the risk of not having food available to hand out.
He said: “You’ve got a drop in food coming in but you’ve got a rise in numbers of people requesting help.
“We’ve got people six months ago that were donating to us monthly who are now coming for help.”
The ‘betrayed’ fisherman
John Clark, who lives in Banff, has been a fisherman for almost 35 years.
He wants Ms Truss to deliver on promises the Conservative Party made the fishing industry on Brexit as the sector feels “completely betrayed”.
The 50-year-old said: “I would like to see the new prime minister actually keep the word of what the Conservative Party promised on Brexit.
“We were told we would be taking back control of our waters; well that hasn’t happened.
“We only get around 30% of the fishing quotas that is in UK waters. It was a total sell-out.”
By 2026, it is estimated that UK boats will have access to an extra £145 million of fishing quotas every year.
Mr Clark said the new prime minister must find a solution to tackle soaring energy bills.
Two years ago, the skipper invested in a new state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient boat.
While this means the rising price of fuel has not hit him quite as hard as those who own older boats, he has still seen his costs almost quadruple.
We’re going through an energy crisis and the government actually needs to act before people suffer.”
– John Clark.
In September 2020, the price of fuel was 22p a litre and two years later it costs 86.9p a litre.
Mr Clark continued: “Just now we’re going through an energy crisis and the government actually needs to act before people suffer.
“If they want to be elected at the next election then they need to do it pretty smartish.
“It’s not so bad for me as I’m established but for someone who wants to buy their own boat with the situation regarding quotas, the cost of running a boat, it would be almost impossible for them.”
The pensioner
Linda Carmichael is a WASPI (Women Against State Pension Injustice) campaigner in Aberdeen and is involved in the Scottish Pensioners’ Forum.
She says the biggest concern at the moment is the “energy crisis and food cost crisis” with pensioners and WASPI women struggling to meet rising costs.
The 68-year-old said those living in the north-east, who often experience very cold winters, will find it “very difficult” to heat their homes.
She added: “North-east of Scotland is not known for its balmy weather and come October/November time, the bills are going to be horrendous.
“And we’re hearing already of people not switching on their gas and their electricity and just having the bare minimum so how are they going to survive in the winter?
“Liz Truss has to focus on the energy crisis because that affects everyone.
“I was recently out with a friend who is totally struggling and she is quite desperate about the winter coming up.”
Mrs Carmichael also highlights the effect of the “grey pound” – the money that older people as a group have available to spend – on both the local and national economy.
She says: “Many local businesses rely on this to help recover from the pandemic and sadly, with less disposable income after basic bills paid-energy, food, fuel-this will no longer be available or be very restricted.”
The WASPI campaign was launched in 2015 ahead of the state pension age being lifted unexpectedly from 60 to 65 and then 66, impacting an estimated 3.8 million women born in the 1950s.
Mrs Carmichael added: “Pensioners and WASPI women who haven’t got their pension just yet are really, really struggling.
“But every generation is struggling.”
The oil and gas trade unionist
Jake Molloy is RMT’s Aberdeen regional organiser, and has been part of the oil and gas industry for more than four decades.Â
He says “like every other trade unionist in the country”, he is “concerned with the direction in which Liz Truss is going in terms of workers rights”.
The incoming prime minister is said to be preparing to shake up Britain’s post-Brexit employment rights ahead of the next election.
This is said to include a review of existing EU worker protections, including the 48-hour working week, in a bid to improve the competitiveness of the UK economy.
She is also poised to issue as many as 130 new licences to explore for oil and gas in the North Sea.
But Mr Molloy, who started out in the oil and gas sector in 1980, criticised Ms Truss and the Tories for the lack of a “properly thought out plan” on energy.
He said:Â “The way she has communicated it isn’t helping anybody because all we’re doing is fuelling the climate campaign group’s concerns.
“It is unquantified; there is no real justification or thought process being applied.
“It’s simply being seen by too many as Tories supporting big business again. That’s the wrong message.
“Yes, we need oil and gas; yes it will be part of the transition process; yes it’s going to take time, but her messaging is very poor and only causing splits and divides and concerns across society.”
The trade union organiser said the UK government has to move away from “rhetoric” surrounding the energy transition and consider a “different model” to deliver energy.
This (energy) model that continues to prevail is broken. Anyone sitting at home thinking about the winter time knows that…”
– Jake Molloy.
He said: “We have all the rhetoric about the green recovery, levelling up and addressing concerns of the nation, and creating thousands of jobs, but the reality is a million miles away from it.
“That’s why workers across the energy sector remain concerned and why there’s grumblings on the ground about the way the whole sector is being managed.
“We need a different model. This model that continues to prevail is broken.
“Anyone sitting at home thinking about the winter time knows that and it seems it’s beyond the Tories to comprehend.”
Conversation