Inflation Reaches 40-Year High
The UK government is “driving millions of families into absolute poverty”, the SNP has warned, as new inflation figures reach a 40-year high.
UK inflation, the rate which shows how quickly prices are rising across the country, has jumped to 9% in the 12 months to April to be the worst among G7 countries – up from 7% in March – and could reach 10%.
Reports also continue to show that Brexit is worsening the cost-of-living crisis.
Graeme has reiterated the party’s call for Rishi Sunak to deliver an emergency budget, which would include a wide range of measures to help ease the squeeze on households.
The SNP’s position is that this would need to include, at a minimum:
- converting the £200 energy loan into a grant
- scrapping the regressive National Insurance tax hike
- reversing the £1040 cut to Universal Credit
- introducing a Real Living Wage to boost incomes
- reducing or removing VAT on household energy bills
- and following the Scottish Government’s 6% uprating of benefits.
The news follows a separate poll, conducted by Sky News, which found one in four people across the UK had resorted to skipping meals, with more than four in five concerned about the rising cost of living.
There has been no evidence to change the Bank of England’s view that Brexit will be bad for the UK’s trade, its Governor has said.
The cost of living with Westminster has been laid bare in this morning’s headlines. 👇 pic.twitter.com/DEQHUEVJNP
— Graeme Dey (@GraemeDeyMSP) May 17, 2022
– Graeme
At this point, the UK Government’s inaction on the cost-of-living crisis is appalling and it is untenable.
That a quarter of people have resorted to skipping meals is a truly shocking statistic in 2022, with the poorest disproportionately impacted by this crisis.
Johnson and Sunak must get their heads out of the sand and finally bring forward an emergency budget – with a comprehensive package of support for the lowest earners here in Angus and across Scotland and the UK.
Thus far they seem determined to do nothing, but there can be no more delays while millions are being driven into absolute poverty.
👇 Scotland's cost of living with Westminster:
❌ Tory backbencher who thinks poor people just need ‘cooking lessons’.
❌ Tory minister who thinks people should just ‘get a better paid job’.
❌ Tory Chancellor who thinks it would be ‘silly’ to act on cost of living crisis. pic.twitter.com/VaQVukrWWY— The SNP (@theSNP) May 18, 2022
