Boris Johnson calls for focus on cost of living, but solutions are not forthcoming

The Prime Minister is hoping to move on from Partygate by focusing on the cost-of-living crisis, but may regret making it the crux of his premiership.

Boris Johnson told his Cabinet on Tuesday they needed to do more to help people with what really matters, as households face spiralling energy bills.

We know this, because in an unusual move, before it had even taken place what he was going to say was being briefed out.

Downing Street is so desperate to tackle the real issues, they are loudly insisting that they are going to fix them, without exactly saying how.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told his Cabinet on Tuesday they needed to do more on the cost of living. Picture: PA

For this administration, so much is about reclaiming the news agenda away from Mr Johnson’s controversies, but there is no easy respite in policy.

That this conversation is even still happening speaks to the discontent in Government, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak having already issued a support package.

The Prime Minister said they needed to go further within hours of that being announced, but remains in a constant battle with the Treasury over support.

Tory MPs are desperate to talk about something other than Partygate, but are not being given enough support to boast to constituents about.

There are no new funding announcements forthcoming, and yesterday’s briefing shows a Prime Minister who recognises there is a problem, but as yet does not have answers for it.

After Cabinet, it emerged Mr Johnson threatened to “privatise the a**e” off the Passport Office, DVLA and other “arms-length” public bodies unless they start delivering better services.

Government sources briefed out the Prime Minister believed improving the efficiency of public bodies could help reduce the financial burden on people.

This is exactly the same ideas we heard about Brexit, where it would cut EU red tape and everything would be easier and cheaper.

It is an ideology, not a specific policy, and is a plea for ideas rather than the substantial action the public and Mr Johnson’s premiership needs.

With inflation the nation is poorer, incomes are declining and wages buy less than they used to.

Mr Johnson understandably does not want to focus on Partygate, but his Government is on far from steady ground when it comes to the cost of living.