One of the disgraceful aspects of the Tory civil war at Westminster is the complete lack of focus on bread and butter issues. While Conservative politicians play political parlour games, real people are suffering with the cost of living crisis.
The top issue hitting people in the wallets is the soaring cost of heating their homes. Shock figures show this situation will get far worse, with the price cap rising by over 60 per cent to £3,300 a year by January.
No simple fix exists for correcting gas prices as international factors, such as the war in Ukraine, are causing havoc with the market. However, what can be improved is the UK Government’s risible response to the chaos.
Households will receive £400 later this year to help pay their bills, but this is tiny compared to the average £1,273 a year hike a typical customer could be facing in October. Low-income households will get more help but it will still not be enough to cope with this nightmare.
Let’s hope the situation in Germany is not a sign of the times for Scotland. Hot water is being rationed, street lights are being dimmed and swimming pools are shutting as the impact of its energy crunch spreads.
The UK needs Boris Johnson to end his soap opera leadership now and make way for a successor. The new Prime Minister must look outwards and start focusing on the issues that really matter.
Keir Starmer has been vindicated over Beergate following weeks of political attacks by the right-wing media and Tory MPs. The Labour leader’s handling of the allegations put Boris Johnson’s behaviour over Partygate in an even worse light.
Starmer took responsibility and said he would resign if fined for breaching Covid rules and yesterday he was found to have no case to answer. Compare that to our lame duck Prime Minister who was fined by police for breaking his own rules but blamed others for his errors.
Starmer was willing to put his political career on the line, which is what we should expect of our leaders. To be fit to hold the highest elected office in the land, a Prime Minister should lead from the front with integrity and be accountable.
Despite three dreadful years in office in which his own MPs want rid of him, Johnson looks like he’ll ultimately need to be dragged out of Downing Street. The contrast with Starmer couldn’t be more stark.
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