Boris Johnson’s confused defense of the government’s cost-of-living record has angered Conservative lawmakers and exacerbated fears about the party’s performance in Thursday’s local elections.
When asked about a pensioner forced to travel by bus to keep warm and reduce heating bills, the prime minister’s first answer was to boast that he is introducing free travel for the elderly. In an interview Tuesday, he acknowledged that the government has not done enough to alleviate the pain of rising costs.
Amid growing fears about the impact of the crisis on the cost of living, the Treasury is looking into whether it can cover part or all of the rise in energy prices this fall from state funds, the Guardian has learned.
Understandably, Rishi Sunak’s department is investigating whether to simply cover most of the costs instead of offering a discount on bills or a discount on municipal tax. Sunak is concerned about the inflationary impact of more loans, but the option of absorbing part or all of the increase has been considered.
A source from the Ministry of Finance said that “they do not recognize this as political work that is being done at the moment.” A spokesman added: “Energy bills are limited until the autumn. We will not yet know what the size of the rise will be, given the price volatility we are seeing now and it is right to wait … [to] decide what the solution should be. “
Thursday’s vote will be the first election test in the UK since details emerged of parties breaking the Downing Street blockade.
Tory MPs are prepared for losses in London and the South of England, as the toxic combination of Partygate and rising living costs pay off. Deputies in the North of England said they were more confident in retaining local councilors.
In a pre-election interview for ITV’s Good Morning Britain, the prime minister struggled to formulate what help might be available to a retiree struggling to make ends meet.
Asked about Elsie, a 77-year-old who cut back on food and used buses to keep warm, he said: “The 24-hour free bus pass was actually something I introduced. Asked what more Elsie could do, he said he “doesn’t want her to cut anything.”
Concerned about the cost of living, a major election issue, some Tory MPs responded angrily to Johnson’s performance. “The thing about him is that sometimes he hasn’t read the script,” said one. “There are so many positive things to say.”
Another congressman and former cabinet minister said: “He will not win us many votes. Boris doesn’t really care about these people. He essentially despises most of the human race, so it makes it very difficult to empathize. ”
Shadow Labor and Pensions Secretary John Ashworth said that “boasting about the London bus ticket reveals how out of touch he is with this narcissistic prime minister.” He added that the state pension has just suffered the biggest real reduction in 50 years.
Both major parties are desperately trying to meet expectations ahead of Thursday’s election, with the Tories warning of up to 800 losses from more than 5,000 council seats and Labor suggesting they could make little profit.
Conservative and election expert Robert Hayward said he predicted a Tory’s net loss of 250 to 350 seats, adding: question mark. ”
Tory insiders say there are serious concerns about the loss of Wandsworth’s London council, although Labor has said it is unlikely. A senior Tory figure said the area has become richer over time, which can usually favor the Tories, but has instead seen “dendrification with debris.”
An MP from London warned that among the middle class voters in the South of England “this is Boris’s problem”.
One of Lib Dem’s top strategists said the party was looking for possible gains in the new unitary government of Somerset, Oxford, Wimbledon and Woking in the south, as well as Westmoreland and Hull in the north. “We do not expect significant takeovers of many different councils, but we hope to see steady progress in the blue spots that are up,” they said.
In contrast, the Red Wall Conservatives are quietly confident that they will remain in their seats on the council. –
In key battles in local councils – such as Bury, Bolton, Wigan and Hartlepool – which will be seen as a harbinger of whether Labor will be able to reclaim or retain seats in the next election, Torrey described voters as angry with Johnson over Partygate but not willing to make the switch to work.
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A Tories from the Midlands in a newly won constituency said: “Logically, we should be able to make a profit, but Partygate and the cost of living mean that our constituents are not reliable. But I don’t see people coming back to work at all. “
A Tory MP from the North West of England said he feared anger at Johnson was unlikely to dissipate until the next general election, although voters are ready to continue voting for Tories locally because Labor is still seen as a force. of the establishment.
“I think anger is already a constant feature. In a sense, we may miss this time because it is not on the ballot. But this will definitely take place against us in general elections. “
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