Scotland’s two governments in Holyrood and Westminster are both “compounding the cost-of-living crisis”, Labour has claimed.
Shadow Scotland secretary Ian Murray accused both the SNP Scottish Government and the Conservative UK Government of not doing enough to help with the rising cost of living, as he called on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to “act now”.
Edinburgh South MP Mr Murray told the Commons: “Inflation is at a 40-year high but in reality according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies today it is much higher for most households. The weekly shop, the energy bill, petrol for the car, taxes, all rising to the extent that 150,000 more Scots can’t pay their bills today.
“In 2022, too many children go to bed hungry or cold or both. The Chancellor keeps saying he stands ready to act but refuses an emergency budget. His acts so far have raised taxes to the highest in 70 years and dropped living standards by the highest amount since the 1950s.”
It comes as Eastbourne has become the first council in the UK to declare a ‘cost of living emergency’, according to The Independent.
Unprecedented
The Liberal Democrat-run local authority is expected to pass the unprecedented motion later today (Wednesday).
Councillor Josh Babarinde said an emergency declaration would help Eastbourne Borough Council work more effectively with charities.
He said the council’s motion should lead to an emergency cost of living summit in Eastbourne where charities and foodbanks can figure out how best to tackle the problem.
Josh said: ‘We need immediate action from the government – they have to realise that this cost of crisis has become an emergency because of their inaction.
‘People are coming to me every day saying, “I don’t know how I’m going to get by”, There are parents who are skipping meals all the time so their kids can eat.’
Related: Tory MP demands asylum centre isn’t built because residents not ‘safe to leave their homes’
