Llanelli MP Nia Griffith on Labour’s plan to tackle the spiralling cost of living in the country

IN a week of even more turmoil for the Prime Minister and his distracted government, life has not got any easier for local families finding it difficult to make ends meet.

Inflation is beginning to add extra costs to household and grocery bills.

Interest rates are pushing mortgage payments up and with the national insurance increase due to come into force in April, many people are finding out exactly what having a high tax, low growth Tory Government means on a daily basis.

Last week’s announcement by the Chancellor on rising energy bills, loading costs on ordinary taxpayers with a buy now, pay later scheme only goes to show how they have completely run out of ideas.

Labour’s fully-funded plan would instead keep bills low with a windfall tax on North Sea oil and gas producers, with booming profits saving households £200 off their bills, with extra targeted support of £400 to those who need it most.

Crucially, Labour’s plan would help those on the lowest incomes most.

It seems that the current UK Government, however, has no problem whatsoever with huge sums of our money going on dodgy contracts and being lost to fraud and criminal gangs.

Total fraud across government is now estimated at £29bn a year and the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, recently wrote off £4.3bn paid out in fraud and error under Covid support schemes. Labour have uncovered £3.5bn of Covid contracts awarded to Tory-linked firms and a healthcare firm advised by disgraced former Tory MP Owen Paterson won a £133m contract unopposed.

It was recently revealed that £13bn has been wasted on defence procurement alone over the last decade.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss spending £500k on her flights to Australia is the latest example of a government that has totally lost its grasp and perspective.