Cost of Living Increases

Debate between Alex Davies-Jones and Tulip Siddiq

Tuesday 25th April 2023 Commons Chamber

[Tulip Siddiq]

May I remind the hon. Gentleman that the last Labour Government introduced the first minimum wage, slashed child poverty and slashed pensioner poverty because we grew the economy—something this Government have failed to do?

[Alex Davies-Jones (Pontypridd) (Lab)]

My hon. Friend is making a powerful speech and outlining exactly what Labour did in government to make a difference for working people. In Labour-led Wales, where the hon. Member for Clwyd South (Simon Baynes) is also an MP, we have just increased the education maintenance allowance, which was scrapped in England, to give students the opportunity not to have to choose between buying books and going to school, and having to find a job to support themselves.

[Tulip Siddiq]

I hope hon. Members hear that before they start criticising any sort of Labour Government.

Things are only set to get worse. The Government’s stealth tax and freeze on income tax and national insurance contribution thresholds will, according to the Resolution Foundation, cost households £25 billion a year by 2027-28.