‘We need an emergency budget now’
MAYOR BLASTS QUEEN’S SPEECH FOR FAILING TO TACKLE COST OF LIVING CRISIS
THE Mayor of West Yorkshire has slammed the government for failing to tackle the cost of living crisis and called for an emergency budget.
Tracy Brabin said there was nothing in the Queen’s Speech that addressed people’s struggles with soaring costs and said there was ‘so much more’ the Conservatives could do to help people.
Announcing plans to cut bus fares across West Yorkshire to just £2, Mayor Brabin urged people to put aside pride and seek help if they were struggling.
She told The Examiner: “You’ve seen at many levels that people are having to choose from heating and eating, older people are travelling on the bus because it’s warm and this is no way to live.
“I would say there was nothing in the Queen’s Speech that addressed the cost of living crisis.
“We need an emergency budget now, we need that windfall tax from the oil and gas suppliers, there is so much more that the Government could be doing.
“I do think it’s difficult but I would suggest that you make sure that you have access to every benefit that you are eligible for because there are far too many people, particularly pensioners, that don’t know they can get their pensioners’ credit and make sure you do an audit of what you are eligible for.”
She added: “Don’t be proud to lean on services that are around you because we are here to help you get through this.” The Mayor’s announcement will mean bus fares could be capped at £2 per journey from September, if approved by the Department for Transport.
The new fares will be negotiated with bus operators through the new West Yorkshire Enhanced partnership and are being brought in due to the increasing cost of living crisis.
There is so much more that the Government could be doing West Yorkshire Mayor
Tracy Brabin