While the SNP tears itself to pieces in its leadership campaign and the Tories seek to sow division with their controversial migration bill, most people remain more concerned with the ongoing cost of living crisis.

New public opinion data collected by 38 Degrees has mapped the extent of the crisis in every constituency in Great Britain. In East Lothian, more than one in three (37 per cent) people could not afford to turn the heating on when cold in the past month.

Just over one in four (27 per cent) people locally are worried about having to use a food bank in the next year, while the number who said they had missed a rent payment in the last six months is 14 per cent.

These financial struggles have resulted in 42 per cent of people in East Lothian feeling their mental health has worsened due to the crisis.

In the same week as these findings were published, Advice Direct Scotland also revealed that six-in-ten Scots are worried about affording their bills this year. 17 per cent of those with debt have also fallen behind with their repayments.

With energy and other bills set to continue rising and inflation remaining stubbornly high, these pressures are not going away any time soon and more people will struggle to make ends meet.

Unfortunately, the governments at Westminster and Holyrood are more interested in their own internal rows than dealing with the crisis. They are both missing in action when the country desperately needs real political leadership.

Rather than ignoring this crisis, every level of government must be relentlessly focused on ramping up the help available to those who are struggling and drowning in debt.

In the meantime, anyone who is facing problems paying their bills, with debt or mental wellbeing should not suffer in silence. Details of the various advice and support available can be found on my website at www.martinwhitfieldmsp.com/cost-of-living.