Boris Johnson ‘on shore leave’ as inflation rockets to 40-year high and Brits struggle
A Tory peer today blasted Boris Johnson for going “on shore leave” as inflation rocketed to another 40-year high.
In a striking intervention, Asda chairman Lord Rose accused the Tories of doing nothing as official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today showed inflation reached an eye-watering 10.1% last month.
He urged the ‘Zombie’ Government to bring an emergency budget forward as “inflation isn’t sitting there waiting for us”.
“The captain of the ship is on shore leave – nobody is in charge at the moment,” Lord Rose said.
“Nothing is happening. We’re sitting here now, into the fourth month of the crisis, and we’re still waiting to see what action will be taken – it’s horrifying.”
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Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)
Labour slammed the PM of having “bailed on the country”.
Mr Johnson was pictured stretching and enjoying the Greek sunshine as Brits learned they are getting poorer.
The ONS on Tuesday said average wages in the UK are falling at the fastest rate for more than two decades.
But the caretaker Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi said there are no “easy solutions” as the Treasury is “working night and day” to prepare options for the next Prime Minister.
Mr Zahawi pointed to existing support through a £37 billion support package and £400 off energy bills but did not indicate any fresh measures would be taken.
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Lord Rose also called for fresh targeted action to help “those who need it most” as he warned the nation is “heading towards a recession”.
The spike in inflation is the biggest jump in the cost of living since February 1982, when it reached 10.4%, the ONS estimates.
It is also a huge jump from the 9.4% inflation in June.
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: “ Boris Johnson has once again left Britain in an inexcusable mess.
“He has abdicated his responsibility and bailed on the country, leaving those vying for his job scrapping it out amongst themselves but deafeningly silent on solutions to the challenges our country faces.
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ITV)
“While the British people face a dire cost-of-living crisis, this zombie Conservative Government increasingly resembles a scene from the Night Of The Living Dead.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer has demanded a £29billion package to stop energy bills further soaring this winter, to be paid for in part by an extension of the windfall levy on oil and gas giants’ profits.
Tory leadership ‘underdog’ Rishi Sunak ruled out implementing Labour’s proposals if he becomes Prime Minister.
His rival Liz Truss also rejected Mr Starmer’ idea, and warned against “throwing money” as a short-term fix to solve the energy price crisis.
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PA)
Former chancellor Mr Sunak criticised Ms Truss’s approach to tackling the crisis as he attempted to charm Tory voters.
“It will be a moral failure of the Conservative Government and I don’t think the British people will forgive us for that,” he said at a leadership hustings in Belfast.
Truss-ally Sajid Javid insisted Ms Truss will “act very quickly” on the economy through an emergency budget if made prime minister.
The new Prime Minister will be announced on September 5.
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Mr Zahawi said there is a “real problem” with the Labour plans, saying their “numbers are out” and they would be “rewarding people like me who are the wealthier end of the spectrum”.
Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “We must get a grip on rising inflation leaving families worried sick about making ends meet.
“People are worried sick while the Tories are busy fighting and ignoring the scale of this crisis.”
Criticism of Mr Johnson mounted as No10 refused to say whether he will spend his last weeks as Prime Minister living at his grace-and-favour home, Chequers, during the Tory leadership contest.
