Several think tanks and campaign groups across the political spectrum have criticised the government’s response to the cost of living following today’s Queen’s Speech.

On this morning’s broadcast round policing minister Kit Malthouse has refused to rule out an emergency budget to tackle the ongoing cost of living crisis, but no such plans have yet been laid out.

John O’Connell, chief executive at free market campaign group the TaxPayers’ Alliance, explained that while “promises to roll back regulations, sort out procurement and reform taxes tomorrow” were welcome, they “won’t help Brits struggling today.”

“With the cost of living crisis already crippling families and firms, taxpayers are crying out for immediate action.

“If the government wants to boost growth and help households, they can deliver both right now by bringing forward the planned income tax cut,” he went on.

Meanwhile Matthew Lesh, head of public policy at free market think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs, argued that the plans “lack ambition in the face of Britain’s immense challenges.”

The progressive Institute for Public Policy Research think tank has said any plans to grow the economy laid out in this morning’s speech were undermined by a failure to tackle the soaring cost of living, suggesting that their legislative programme amounts to “cosmetic surgery for an economy facing a heart attack”.

Former Labour aide and IPPR’s associate director for energy and climate Luke Murphy, said that today’s speech, “fails to offer the relief that millions of households need as they struggle with rising energy bills and the cost-of-living crisis. The government appears to be in denial about the scale of the hit to incomes people face across the country.

“As with the government’s energy strategy, the proposals set out today also fail to offer the longer-term reform needed to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. It doesn’t provide the backing needed for the cheapest and quickest form of clean energy in onshore wind and it won’t do anything to make our homes warmer and reduce energy demand.

“A government adviser has said that the government ‘has offered enough pain relief’ and that the Queen’s Speech is the ‘surgery the economy needs’. But the truth is the government is offering paracetamol and cosmetic surgery for an economy that is facing a heart attack.”