Inflation rose for the second month in a row in November, hitting 2.6 per cent to further increase pressure on Labour Chancellor Rachel Reeves over her Budget‘s impact on the country.
Spikes in petrol and tobacco prices drove CPI to 2.6 per cent, up from 2.3 per cent in October, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
And statisticians said the the figure would have been higher but for the largest drop in air fares in almost a quarter of a century.
Ms Reeves said: ‘I know families are still struggling with the cost of living and today’s figures are a reminder that for too long the economy has not worked for working people.’
But her Tory shadow Mel Stride said: ‘The Chancellor has made a series of irresponsible and inflationary decisions which, as the independent Office for Budget Responsibility said, will leave inflation higher than it was forecasted in March.
‘These figures mean higher costs in the shops, less money in working people’s pockets and risks keeping mortgage rates higher for longer.
Grant Fitzner, the ONS’s chief economist, said: ‘Inflation rose again this month as prices of motor fuel and clothing increased this year but fell a year ago.
‘This was partially offset by air fares, which traditionally dip at this time of year, but saw their largest drop in November since records began at the start of the century.’