Cost of living policy blitz as Boris Johnson battles to keep premiership alive

Boris Johnson is set to promise sweeping reforms to help people “cut costs in every area” as he seeks to keep his premiership alive.

On a day where the UK experienced the largest daily jump in petrol prices for 17 years amid a soaring cost-of-living crisis, Downing Street suggested it could look to name and shame retailers failing to pass on the fuel duty cut.

There is continued concern in Government the 5p cut implemented by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in March is still not being reflected in pump prices at all filling stations.

Mr Johnson has also hinted at further reforms in “coming weeks”, with a promise to help millions of more people get on the housing ladder, as he seeks to claw back support from within his own party in a week that saw him narrowly survive a no-confidence vote.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced MPs yesterday for the first time since Monday's confidence vote

The Prime Minister is set to use a speech to try and seize the narrative by announcing reforms in housing, energy, childcare and transport.

Speaking in Lancashire, Mr Johnson will today vow to “help the country through tough times”, with a promise to deliver more measures to help unlock “mortgage finance” to address declining levels of home ownership.

There is speculation the Right to Buy scheme could be extended in England and Wales for housing association residents and a wave of modular or “flatpack” homes could also be built.

But is it not yet known whether any major policy commitment could deliver extra consequentials for Scotland, where the Right to Buy scheme ended for council and housing association tenants in July 2016.

The move will form part of a plan by Mr Johnson to reassert his authority after surviving Monday’s confidence vote despite the revolt by 41 per cent of his MPs.

In a speech, the Prime Minister will today say: “We have the tools we need to get on top of rising prices.

“The global headwinds are strong, but our engines are stronger.

“And, while it’s not going to be quick or easy, you can be confident that things will get better, that we will emerge from this a strong country with a healthy economy.”

Promising to save the public money, Mr Johnson will pledge to deliver on the agenda that got him elected, and to "unite and level up across the country".

He will say: “Over the next few weeks, the Government will be setting out reforms to help people cut costs in every area of household expenditure, from food to energy to childcare to transport and housing.

“We will continue to use our fiscal firepower to help the country through tough times – and concentrating our help where we should, on those who need it most.

“At the same time we will use this moment to accelerate the reforming mission of the government, to cut the costs that government imposes on businesses and people up and down the country.

“With more affordable energy, childcare, transport, and housing we will protect households, boost productivity and above all increase the rate of growth of the UK.”

The speech comes after the RAC motoring group confirmed the average cost of filling a typical family car with petrol was now £99.40 and could exceed £100 as soon as today.

Data firm Experian Catalist said the average price of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts on Tuesday reached a record 180.7p.

The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had the power to launch an investigation into whether the fuel duty cut had been passed on.

“We know that there has been variation in that and we do want to see it passed on at all petrol stations – we are not confident that that is happening across the board,” the spokesman said.

“The CMA have said that if they find evidence that the cut is not being passed on that would mean competition is not working and they could launch a formal investigation. Obviously we would wholeheartedly support them.”

The spokesman added: “We are continuing to look at all possible options. Transparency may have an important role to play.

“It is important the public understand what actions each of the fuel retailers are taking and so we are considering what further options we can take in this area.”

The Petrol Retailers Association, which represents independent filling stations, declined to respond to the remarks

AA spokesman Luke Bosdet said: “[Tuesday’s] more than 2p-a-litre leap in average UK petrol prices is a huge shock, and fuels concern that speculation of a £2 litre just gives the fuel trade licence to pile on extra cost and misery.

“The Government needs to act fast to rein in these excesses.”

Mr Johnson had earlier vowed at Prime Minister’s to “get on with the job” as the fallout over his narrow win the no-confidence vote continued.

His comments came on the day the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) slashed its UK growth forecast for this year from 4.75 per cent to 3.64 per cent, with inflation expected to peak at more than 10 per cent.

The OECD said gross domestic product growth would stagnate next year.

But Mr Johnson defended his mission to “unite and level up” and “unleash the potential of our entire country”.

In a PMQs that saw SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford brand Mr Johnson a “lame duck”, the Prime Minister insisted “nothing” would stop him or his Government.

He was first confronted by Labour former minister Dame Angela Eagle, who said the “week’s events have demonstrated just how loathed this Prime Minister is and that’s only in his own party”.

She added: “As his administration is too distracted by its internal divisions to deal with the challenges we face, can the Prime Minister explain if 148 of his own backbenchers don’t trust him, why on earth should the country?”

Mr Johnson replied: “I can assure her in a long political career so far – barely begun – I’ve, of course, picked up political opponents all over and that is because this Government has done some very big and very remarkable things which they didn’t necessarily approve of.

“And what I want her to know is that absolutely nothing and no-one, least of all her, is going to stop us with getting on delivering for the British people.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Johnson of being “utterly unable” to improve the NHS, warning: “24 Hours in A&E used to be a TV programme, now it’s his policy.”

The Labour leader focused his attacks on issues with health service rather than Tory infighting, prompting the Prime Minister to joke: “This line of attack is not working.”

Concluding his exchanges with the Labour leader, he said: “As for jobs, I’m going to get on with mine and I hope he gets on with his.”

Mr Blackford said: “Week after week I’ve called on this Prime Minister to resign. I’ve been met with a wall of noise from the Tory benches.

"I thought they were trying to shout me down … when all this time it turns out that 41 per cent of them have been cheering me on.

“Let’s be clear, at least the numbers don’t lie – 41 per cent of his own MPs have no confidence in him, 66 per cent of MPs across the House don’t support him, and 97 per cent of Scottish MPs want the minister for the union shown the door.

“We now have a lame duck Prime Minister presiding over a divided party in a disunited kingdom. How does the Prime Minister expect to continue when even unionist leaders in Scotland won’t back him?”