Rishi Sunak – Brexit vote and Ukraine resistance ‘are not analogous’
The Chancellor was in the TV studios this morning, ahead of the Spring Statement that he will deliver on Wednesday. Economic issues, like much else, have been cast into the shadows over recent weeks as the spotlight has inevitably focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Even today was no exception, as in his interview with the BBC’s Sophie Raworth, Rishi Sunak was first asked to address a stir caused by the Prime Minister’s remarks at the Conservative’s spring conference yesterday in Blackpool:
Government’s energy support ‘will make a difference’
Turning to Sunak’s brief, Raworth asked about the rising cost of living that is already beginning to bite, and in particular highlighted the cost of fuel, with petrol already having hit a record high at the pumps. Describing the price of fuel as ‘people’s no 1 priority’, Sunak outlined what the government was doing to try and alleviate the situation:
Government’s energy support ‘will make a difference’
Raworth challenged Sunak over the news on Thursday that P&O Ferries had sacked 800 of its staff and replaced them with agency workers with immediate effect, all via a pre-recorded video. This action has raised many questions over the nature of their employment, not least because the UK born-and-bred staff were designated as ‘international workers’:
Rachel Reeves – Labour would support 5p off fuel duty
Raworth also spoke to the Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves. The Chancellor is under pressure to cut fuel duty this week, with organisations such as the RAC arguing for a 5p cut. Reeves said that Labour would back this proposal, but reiterated her party’s call for revenue to be recouped from North Sea oil and gas companies:
PM’s remarks ‘utterly distasteful’
Reeves spoke to Sky’s Sophy Ridge about the Prime Minister’s aforementioned comments on Brexit yesterday. Reeves did not sit on the fence:
Olga Stefanishyna – No Ukrainian territory up for discussion in peace talks
Turning to matters in Ukraine, Ridge interviewed Ukraine’s deputy prime minister Olga Stefanishyna, who was speaking from an undisclosed location. Stefanishyna was adamant that though her country was hopeful for peace negotiations, Ukraine would not cede any territory to Vladimir Putin as a result of his aggression:
Martin Lewis – ‘I am virtually out of tools
And finally, the journalist behind the Money Saving Expert website, told Raworth that with price rises baked into the economic situation for the next few years, Sunak was going to have to intervene further before long:
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