Barbara Keeley, MP for Eccles South and Worsley, has slammed Boris Johnson for his recent comments on This Morning.
On Monday, the Prime Minister was faced with a question regarding a 77-year-old woman named Elsie who uses bus travel for warmth due to her not being able to afford energy bills.
In response, he said that it was he who introduced the free bus scheme that Elsie uses for her travel.
Barbara Keeley blasted these comments: “Boris Johnson should be filled with shame. The Prime Minister has shown his lack of empathy for the hardships experienced by so many across the country.
“The free bus scheme Elsie uses to keep warm does not address the awful fact that pensioners cannot afford heating because the Conservative Government has failed to tackle unmanageable spiralling energy costs.”
Labour is calling for an emergency budget to help people with energy bills.
Meanwhile Johnson is unable even to understand or empathise with people struggling with their bills let alone offer them any meaningful support #CostOfLivingCrisis 👇 https://t.co/7JHiL5dHWE
— Barbara Keeley 💙 😷🇺🇦 (@KeeleyMP) May 3, 2022
The cost of living is a major issue in the United Kingdom with inflation rising 7%, with figures suggesting the country is on course for a second recession since the pandemic.
Keeley believes that the government is not doing enough to combat the current rise in inflation and the difficulties that many families are facing.
She said: “The measures proposed by the Conservative Government do not touch the sides of what is needed to help low-income families with sky-rocketing bills.
“Nor do they reverse the tax hikes and real-terms benefits cuts the Chancellor implemented last month. We have been hearing stories of people being forced to cut down on their meals and use public transport to stave off the cold for months now.”
It becoming clearer all the time that Boris Johnson has no solutions to his Government’s cost of living crisis
No solutions to a situation where 77-year old Elsie is reduced to one meal a day and has to ride round on buses all day just to keep warm 👇https://t.co/CAnk4LrWbo
— Barbara Keeley 💙 😷🇺🇦 (@KeeleyMP) May 3, 2022
With many families struggling in the post-pandemic world, it is imperative that Labour has potential policies on the rise of the cost of living, especially with a potential general election within the next two years.
Keeley also outlined Labour’s plan to tackle the cost of living: ” Labour’s plan to tackle the cost of living crisis would include a windfall tax on soaring oil and gas profits, which would save households up to £600 on their energy bills.
“The Warm Homes Discount would be expanded and increased so that families and pensioners on the lowest and modest incomes are supported.”
She also stated that Labour would scrap National Insurance increases and to insulate more homes.
“Labour is also calling to scrap the National Insurance increase hitting working people’s pay packets and to support struggling businesses.
“Any plan would also need to address the long-term challenges facing low-income families, which is why Labour would insulate 2 million more homes within a year to reduce household energy bills by £400 annually.”
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