Labour leaders in Mansfield demand national emergency budget over cost of living crisis

They spoke out after new figures revealed prices are rising at their fastest rate for 40 years as higher energy bills hit millions of households.

UK inflation, the rate at which prices rise, jumped to 9 per cent in the 12 months to April, up from 7 per cent in March.

It came as millions of people saw a £700-a-year increase in energy costs last month.

Higher fuel and food prices, driven by the Ukraine war and the consequences of Brexit, are also pushing the cost of living up, with inflation expected to continue to rise this year.

Coun Craig Whitby, Mansfield Council Labour member for Manor and portfolio holder for corporate and finance, said: “Families in Mansfield are being hammered by the cost of living crisis – but this Conservative government is not just standing by, it’s making things worse with the highest taxes in 70 years.

“But Labour has a plan – we urgently need an emergency budget, including a windfall tax on the astonishing profits of the oil and gas companies, to fund real support – up to £600 – for hard-pressed families on their energy bills.

“The Conservative Party has been asleep at the wheel – mired in scandal and in fighting while the rest of us face the worst squeeze on livings standards in living memory. It’s time to stop dithering and start acting – people in Mansfield need an emergency budget now.”