Ashworth clashes with Coffey on the cost of living

During work and pensions questions, the shadow secretary Jonathan Ashworth suggested to the secretary of state Therese Coffey that energy price rises will cause worker and retirees to either “starve or freeze”. 

Coffey suggested that those people struggling could receive support from the “household support fund”.

Ashworth then highlighted that the government planned to cut benefits “to the tune of £500 for 9 million households”. Coffey explained that the “emergency legislation” that had been put in place was due to a “anomaly” due to coronavirus.