Starmer’s Cabinet insists cost of living is ‘number one problem facing public’

The cost-of-living crisis is the “number one problem faced by the public”, Sir Keir Starmer and his senior colleagues in Government have agreed.

Sir Keir referenced his own brother and sister as he spoke about the people the Government “should be fighting every day for” to tackle living costs, as the Cabinet met on Tuesday.

A readout of the meeting said: “The political Cabinet agreed the cost of living is the number one problem faced by the public and reaffirmed that tackling it is the number one priority for this Labour Government.

“Ministers discussed how many families across the country are still struggling following a sustained period of low wage growth since the financial crisis.”

The Government has attempted to move political focus to its efforts to support people with the cost of living over the last few weeks.

But its agenda has been blown off course by international events, including the US strikes on Venezuela, and Donald Trump’s threats to take over Greenland.

Minister also discussed the “need to ensure the benefits of growth are felt by the whole country” during Tuesday’s meeting.

The readout of political Cabinet added that Sir Keir was “proud that this is the most working-class Cabinet ever, but he said that we should never forget that most people do not go on the same journey, and he said it was their voices that should be heard around this Cabinet table”.

It also said: “He referenced his brother and his sister, and said that the Government should be fighting every day for the people who have suffered under years of low growth through a lack of opportunities.

“The Prime Minister referenced his commitment to deliver more apprenticeships for young people and the work the Government must do to ensure that as many people as possible move from welfare and unemployment to work and opportunity.”