Rishi Sunak says cost of living crisis is starting to ease. Tell that to parents watering down baby formula – Scotsman comment

Prime Minister’s distasteful £1,000 bet over Rwanda flights shows a lack of empathy as the cost-of-living crisis continues despite his claim that pressures are ‘starting to ease’

Rishi Sunak’s explanation for his decision to accept a £1,000 bet from Piers Morgan over whether deportation flights to Rwanda would take off before the next general election – that he was “taken totally by surprise” – is more than a little bit worrying, given Prime Ministers are supposed to be able to make good decisions under pressure. If this is how he reacts to a bit of cajoling from a journalist, it raises questions about his ability to deal with powerful lobbyists, not to mention world leaders.

The bet itself was crass in two ways. First, the idea of gambling on the fate of human beings seeking to claim asylum in the UK is distasteful enough. Second, throwing around what is, for most people, a large amount of money in such a casual way is hardly a sign that our multi-millionaire Prime Minister has much empathy with the circumstances of the poorest citizens of the country he leads.

But then, according to Sunak, cost-of-living pressures are “starting to ease”. While it is true that inflation has come down, people on low incomes that have not kept up with the soaring rates of the past two years or, worse, who are on low fixed incomes, are still having to cut back on heating and pay much higher prices for food.

Sunak told BBC Radio 5 Live that he was “sad to hear” some parents were watering down baby formula for their infants because they cannot afford to buy enough. This is a well-known problem – in the Third World. It should not be happening in one of the world’s wealthiest countries and the Prime Minister should be far more than just “sad”, he should be outraged, horrified and promising swift and decisive action.

Saying pressures are easing does not make it so, just as passing a Bill to declare Rwanda is a “safe” country for asylum seekers to be sent to – after a Supreme Court ruling that it is not – does not make it so. Political leadership is about good judgment. Sunak’s distinctly unpleasant bet suggests he lacks it.