A North East MP has said Boris Johnson's Tory Government is too distracted by scandal and law-breaking to support families struggling with a cost of living crisis.
Labour's Catherine McKinnell, who represents Newcastle North, was speaking on Wednesday as figures showed inflation hit 7% last month, a 30 year high, even before the increase in the energy price cap is factored in.
Yet, rather than the Government focusing on stepping up to support families, she is concerned that Tory MPs and Ministers are too busy defending illegality in Downing Street.
Catherine said: “This year people face the worst fall in living standards on record, with the prices of food, energy and petrol spiralling. From this month, this will be combined with an increase in the energy price cap, Council Tax and a National Insurance rise adding to the highest tax burden in 70 years.
“Due to decisions taken by this Prime Minister and Chancellor, workers in the North East will see their real earnings fall by £1,107 a year by 2023.
“The Government should step in to help families by introducing a windfall tax on the bumper profits of oil and gas companies, scrapping VAT on household fuel to provide £200 in immediate support, extending the Warm Homes Discount to 9.3million people and cancelling the National Insurance increase on hardworking families.
“Instead, Conservative Ministers and MPs seem more interested in protecting their law-breaking Prime Minister and Chancellor and providing a cynical pre-election tax cut pledge than taking real action to support families right now struggling with the cost of living crisis.
“We are facing the biggest cost of living crisis in 70 years and we need trusted and competent leadership. The Prime Minster and Chancellor have lost all credibility and are incapable of providing the integrity, leadership and focus that we desperately need to support residents at this time.”
