By James Hamilton

First Minister Alex Salmond has called on Gordon Brown to get out of his "bunker" and act to combat the economic downturn. And the SNP leader said there is a "strong case" for a windfall tax on energy firms after price hikes of 35% were announced earlier this week.

"In moral terms government cannot stand aside and watch families being driven into fuel poverty", he said.

Salmond is attending the Turriff Show today and pointed to action already taken by his government in Edinburgh, including cutting business rates and freezing the council tax.

He is now demanding action from the Prime Minister and Chancellor Alistair Darling to address rising prices.

"Scotland has proved more resistant to financial pressures than other parts of the UK", Salmond said.

"However, with deflationary forces becoming stronger by the day, Scotland is not immune to the downturn."

Scotland has control of only 15% of fiscal policy and no control of monetary policy, the First Minister added, which "restricts" his government's powers.

"What Scotland, and the UK, desperately need is a major recovery package - action now from those who currently have responsibility to act," he said.

"I urge the Prime Minister to come out of his bunker and tackle the deflationary forces in the economy. Action must be taken to resurrect consumer confidence and thus to stabilise asset values, to moderate the rising energy costs which are hammering hard-pressed business and households across the country."

Labour leadership hopeful Cathy Jamieson, who also called for a windfall tax on energy firms, yesterday told the First Minister to ditch his "megaphone diplomacy" over rising fuel prices.

Jamieson, who faces competition from party finance spokesman Iain Gray and ex-health minister Andy Kerr, said: "It's time that the SNP played their part in supporting under-pressure Scots."

The former justice minister said Westminster and Holyrood can work together, with the Scottish government in a position to fund more and better home insulation that would cut bills for those most in need.

She said: "I also want Alex Salmond to end the means testing introduced by the SNP for elderly people applying for central heating systems. Co-operation is the way forward for Scotland, not conflict for conflict's sake."

The First Minister says the government should ditch its net borrowing constraint, with the forecast of £43 billion for this year more than £20bn down on what it was at the last downturn in 1992/3. He also said a share of the estimated £5bn North Sea windfall from rising oil prices should be allocated to Scotland.

Both the Treasury and energy companies are seeing "windfall revenues" from higher oil and energy prices, the First Minister added.

"Taxpayers and consumers deserve a share of that windfall - to protect hard-pressed families struggling to meet their monthly bill payments", he said.

British Gas owner Centrica announced a 35% hike in gas prices last week - the day before posting profits of almost £1bn.