Rishi must save lives and Britain’s finances
HANCELLOR Rishi Sunak’s message to Sunday Express readers that he wants to do “everything in his power” to help people get through the cost-of-living crisis is an important statement which he must now back up with action.
The fact that the country wants the Government to show leadership is clearly demonstrated in our polling, which found 83 per cent of us want Boris Johnson to appoint a dedicated cost-of-living minister.
This is about more than protecting bank balances. Lives are at stake.
Charities are warning we may face “deep hardship like nothing we’ve seen in this country for many years”.
The full machinery of Government cranked into action when the pandemic hit Britain to stop the spread of the virus and prevent economic catastrophe. It would be calamitous and tragic if households are plunged into desperate poverty in the aftermath of the
Covid era.
Mr Sunak says he is “alive to the problems people are facing” and he “stands ready to take further action”.this is heartening, because now is no time for an experiment with laissez-faire economics.
Academics have debated the best way to deal with inflation for gnerations and it is true that Britain is being rocked by a global crisis. But ministers have a responsibility to help tackle specific challenges which threaten to impoverish families.
The punishing cost of childcare strips parents of spare cash. Families with disabled people are worried about the escalating cost of the electricity needed to power mobility equipment.
Older citizens are reportedly terrified at the prospect of further increases in the cost of living because they cannot make any more savings.a leading children’s charity warns of young people at risk of hunger.
There is no shortage of ideas about how Government can shield people from the worst of the crisis.
AVAT cut would win cheers from the backbenches, there are calls to bring forward increases in benefits, and the merits of a windfall tax on energy giants are the focus of intense debate.