There has been a huge backlash after a minister this morning urged struggling families to buy "value brands" to help save money. One woman vowed to never vote for Conversatives again following the advice which she deemed 'so out of touch'.
George Eustice, the environment secretary and Conservative MP for Camborne and Redruth, was asked by Sky News about the rising cost of food. He said: "Generally speaking, what people find is by going for some of the value brands rather than own-branded products they can actually contain and manage their household budget."
The comments come just a day after the prime minister, Boris Johnson, attracted criticism for his response to a story about a pensioner who eats one meal a day and uses her buss pass to ride the bus all day long as she can't afford to heat her home. Johnson responded by taking credit for introducing the 24-hour bus pass while Mayor of London.
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In response to Eustice's comments, Pat McFadden, Labour's shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said: “This is woefully out of touch from a government with no solution to the cost of living crisis facing working people.
“People are seeing their wages fall, fuel and food costs rise, and families are worried about how to make ends meet. It’s time for the government to get real help to people rather than comments that simply expose how little they understand about the real struggles people are facing to pay their bills."
Wendy Chamberlain, the Liberal Democrats' work and pensions spokesperson, meanwhile, said: "These comments show George Eustice and the Conservatives are living in a parallel universe. Families and pensioners who can't afford their weekly shop need more help, not patronising advice from a clueless minister.
"This is the stark reality of Boris Johnson’s Britain. Oil and gas giants are raking in billions, while families are told to buy value food and pensioners are riding around on buses to keep warm."
Dozens of people took to Twitter to discuss Eustice's comment, @Bitterfingers75 said: "I think Martin Lewis's job isn't under threat from George Eustice advising budget brands. By the way poor George has to get by on his salary & meagre expenses."
While @CherrylEshelby said: "If anyone convinced me never to vote Tory it was George Eustice this morning. They are so out of touch with real people and their struggles." And @LadyHellsBells was one of many people saying it has put her off voting for Conservatives. She said: "Hey thanks GeorgeEustice none of us have ever considered that before. Can you point everyone in the direction of value brand fresh fruit, value brand fresh vegetables, value brand electricity and value brand gas and petrol please that'd be great!"
The consumer price index, which measures how much prices of household items are increasing, stands at seven per cent. Wages, meanwhile, have risen by four per cent in the last year - meaning they have fallen in comparison to the current prices of everyday goods.
