Lisa Nandy MP: We can't afford this Tory government

With inflation at a 30 year high, the announcement that a whole range of social security benefits, including the State Pension and Universal Credit, will increase by a paltry 3.1 per cent means that many more people will now find themselves plunged into poverty. In Wigan alone almost 19,000 pensioners will be worse off from April this year.

An individual basic State Pension will be worth around £222 less in real terms over a year than in 2021/22.

People who have worked hard all their lives deserve a dignified retirement.

They have already been let down by the Government who broke their manifesto promise that the State Pension would keep pace with average earnings.

Tragically, almost a fifth of pensioners are now living in poverty.

There is no doubt that many pensioners, working people and families in Wigan struggle to afford basic costs and in too many homes, people face the cruel choice between heating and eating. Pensioners, children and the poorest are set to be those hit the hardest.

Yet the Government’s response to helping people through these difficult times has been wholly inadequate.

The decision by the Chancellor to provide households with “energy bill rebates” are a buy now pay later solution which only provide temporary relief, require repayment and won’t kick in until October.

And in April the Tories will force up taxes again, putting up National Insurance to compensate for cuts to the NHS and forcing up Council Tax to compensate for cuts to local services.

People who are increasingly struggling to get by are being asked to pay more of their own money, for less, because of the Government’s mishandling of the economy.

It tells you everything about their casual approach to our money that last month the Chancellor wrote off a whopping £4.3bn to COVID fraudsters.

Labour would cut hundreds of pounds from energy bills through a one-off windfall tax on booming oil and gas producers’ profits to help all households.

We would remove VAT on domestic energy bills for a whole year and expand and increase the Warm Homes Discoun which provides a contribution towards energy bill for those most a risk.

Our plan would save most households about £200 without the need for repayment, and target support towards the lowest income households and pensioners that would save the up to £600.

The Conservatives have no answer to the cost-of-living crisis, because they are the cause of the cost-of living-crisis.

They make big promises to “level up” while taking money out of people’s pockets and hiking up taxes. This cannot go on.

Of all the rising costs to contend with, it turns out a Conservative Government is the one expense many of us cannot afford.

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