George Eustice suggested this morning that buying “value brands” from supermarkets would help everyone cope with the cost of living crisis – and people are furious.
The environment, food and rural affairs secretary told Sky News on Wednesday: “Generally speaking, what people find is by going for some sort of value brand rather than own branded products they can actually contain and manage their household budget.”
This sparked significant backlash, especially considering more than one in five people in the UK are in poverty according to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
The government has also exacerbated the crisis by increasing national insurance contributions at the beginning of April, while energy bills started soaring after energy regulator Ofgem lifted the price cap.
These higher costs are now being passed onto the consumer, meaning grocery bills are climbing too. More and more people are subsequently turning to food banks as they choose between eating and heating.
Yet, the government seems to be doing little to help. Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spring statement was heavily criticised for not acting on the crisis when it was first unveiled in March.
And to make matters worse, prime minister Boris Johnson used a very bizarre defence to explain away Downing Street’s inaction on ITV’s Good Morning Britain this week.
When told about a pensioner who has to ride the bus all day just to stay warm because she can’t afford her energy bills, the prime minister replied by saying had actually championed the 24-hour freedom bus pass.
Eustice’s comments about saving money on Sky News this morning therefore followed a wave of embarrassing government missteps when it comes to handling the cost of living crisis.
Here’s a roundup of the best Twitter reactions to the cabinet minister’s suggestion so far: