Cost of living crisis dominates UK leadership campaign

Cost of living crisis dominates UK leadership campaign

With double-digit inflation and an economy teetering on the brink of recession, the cost-of-living crisis has dominated the race for Downing Street.

New feature: Check out news exactly for YOU ➡️ find “Recommended for you” block and enjoy!

But the two candidates vying to succeed Boris Johnson as Conservative party leader and UK prime minister have differing approaches to the problem.

Cost of living

UK inflation is currently at 10.1 percent -- the highest level in 40 years -- with predictions that it could climb to 13 percent in October.

Analysts at Citibank believe it could even surge beyond 18 percent next year on the back of soaring energy costs.

A new energy price cap is due to be announced on Friday, as some experts predict certain households could soon be paying an eye-watering £6,000 ($7,100) a year for gas and electricity.

A University of York study suggested that more than half of UK households or 15 million people will be unable to keep their homes heated properly by January next year.

Read also

Asian markets track Wall St plunge on growing rate fears

PAY ATTENTION: Enjoy reading our stories? Join YEN.com.gh's Telegram channel for more!

Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are vying to succeed Boris Johnson as leader of the UK's ruling Conservative party
Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss are vying to succeed Boris Johnson as leader of the UK's ruling Conservative party. Photo: Paul Faith / AFP
Source: AFP

The leadership frontrunner Liz Truss has promised tax cuts and reversing increases in National Insurance contributions that fund the public health service and welfare payments.

She is also proposing to axe taxes on fuel which pay for the transition to cleaner energy and rejected "sticking plaster" solutions to the cost-of-living crisis such as direct government aid.

Supporters of the current foreign secretary say she is planning an emergency budget within weeks if she wins the internal party vote.

Her opponent, Rishi Sunak, believes cutting taxes will not have any effect on low-income households as they do not earn enough to pay them anyway.

The former finance minister -- privately wealthy through his career in business and by marriage -- favours direct help for low-income families more likely to be affected by the rise in prices.

Read also

UK retail sales in surprise rebound

He has called promises of tax cuts during an economic slump and skyrocketing inflation a "fairy tale"

Instead, he has proposed a cut in sales tax (VAT) on energy bills and to lower taxes on commercial properties (business rates).

Energy

Spiralling inflation and energy costs have dominated the campaign
Spiralling inflation and energy costs have dominated the campaign. Photo: Daniel ROLAND / AFP/File
Source: AFP

Both candidates have officially backed the UK's ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

But Truss, who favours all-out investment in energy including controversial fracking technology where it is backed by locals, called for a better way to achieve it without hurting people and business.

She wants more energy to come from the North Sea and backs current UK government policy on investment in nuclear power and renewables.

Brexit

Truss backed remaining in the European Union before the 2016 referendum on membership of the bloc, switching sides after the public voted to leave.

Both candidates back Brexit but frontrunner Truss originally backed the UK staying in the European Union
Both candidates back Brexit but frontrunner Truss originally backed the UK staying in the European Union. Photo: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP
Source: AFP

Now unashamedly pro-Brexit, she has spearheaded proposed legislation to override parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol the UK signed with the EU governing post-Brexit trade in the province.

Read also

Turkey central bank cuts rate despite soaring inflation

She has promised to take all EU law off the UK statute book to help "turbocharge" growth.

Like Sunak, she has made no proposals to address chronic post-Brexit labour shortages in the UK, particularly of seasonal workers.

Sunak has been an ardent Brexiteer for years and was one of the main backers of the creation of free ports to boost growth.

Financial regulation

Truss has called for an overhaul of regulators in the City of London financial district if she becomes prime minister.

Truss wants an overhaul of regulators in the City of London financial district if she becomes prime minister
Truss wants an overhaul of regulators in the City of London financial district if she becomes prime minister. Photo: JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP
Source: AFP

Notably she wants to merge the Financial Conduct Authority, the Prudential Regulation Authority which oversees banks and is part of the Bank of England, and the Payment Systems Regulator.

Truss has been critical of the Bank of England's response to rising inflation and has proposed examining the statute that gave it operational independence over monetary policy in 1997.

Governor Andrew Bailey noted in response that the UK's financial credibility was dependent on the bank's independence from government.

New feature: Check out news exactly for YOU ➡️ find "Recommended for you" block and enjoy!

Source: AFP

Authors:
AFP avatar

AFP AFP text, photo, graphic, audio or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer or otherwise except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service, AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, videos, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP material. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP material.