London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

Boris Johnson rules out immediate cost-of-living measures

Boris Johnson rules out immediate cost-of-living measures

Boris Johnson has no plans to introduce big tax and spending measures before he leaves office to ease the cost-of-living crisis, Downing Street has said.

Business group leader Tony Danker has urged ministers to "grip the emerging crisis", arguing it "made no sense to wait" for the next PM to arrive.

And Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's first minister, has called for an urgent meeting with the devolved governments.

Downing Street said it recognised the public were facing "challenging times".

However, Mr Johnson's spokesman argued it would be up to his successor to make any decisions on further help.

Mr Johnson is due to leave office in early September, and No 10 said "by convention it is not for this prime minister to make major fiscal interventions during this period".

Cabinet Office minister Kit Malthouse said the government had already and was continuing to do work on cost-of-living problems.

"My job is to make sure that when the new prime minister arrives, the plan is in place for them to put their foot on the accelerator," he told the BBC's PM programme.

He also dismissed calls from ex-Prime Minister Gordon Brown for the government to hold a meeting of the government's emergency response committee Cobra, arguing that would be "a performative political act".

Earlier this year, the government announced a £15bn package of support to ease the cost-of-living crisis.

This included giving households a £400 discount on energy bills and £650 for the poorest households to help with wider living costs.

However, the government has come under pressure to do more, following worsening economic warnings.

Last week, the Bank of England forecast that the UK was heading into a recession, with inflation set to hit 13%.

Meanwhile, the energy price cap will go up in October, with industry analysts estimating average domestic energy bills could hit more than £3,600 a year.

Mr Danker, head of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said the prime minister and the candidates for the Tory leadership, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, "should come together to agree a common pledge to support people and help quell fears".

The Conservative leadership race is taking place amid grim economic forecasts


"The economic situation people and businesses are facing requires all hands to the pump this summer," he said.

"We simply cannot afford a summer of government inactivity while the leadership contest plays out followed by a slow start from a new prime minister and cabinet."

The CBI - which represents British businesses - said the prime minister should direct the civil service to draw up options on helping the most vulnerable people - and that these options should be made available to both leadership candidates.

The organisation also said Mr Johnson, Mr Sunak and Ms Truss should agree "a way forward to support people and businesses with energy bills" ahead of 26 August, when Ofgem is due to announce the next energy price cap.

Elsewhere, Ms Sturgeon has called for an emergency meeting with Mr Johnson and the leaders of devolved governments, to agree steps to help people.

In a letter to the prime minister, she said the SNP-led government was "committed to doing all we can" but added: "We cannot respond on the scale required without action by your government."

Writing in the Daily Record, Mr Brown - who was the Labour prime minister between 2007 and 2010 - said the UK faced "a financial timebomb" and urged Mr Johnson, Mr Sunak and Ms Truss to agree "an immediate Budget to prevent a winter heating catastrophe".

He also said the emergency committee Cobra should be in "permanent session to deal with the coming fuel and energy crisis".

Speaking to the BBC's World This Weekend programme on Sunday, Mr Brown said there was "a vacuum" in government because "the prime minister is on holiday, the chancellor is on holiday, the two leadership candidates for prime minister are on the campaign trail."

Boris Johnson is due to leave Downing Street in early September


Asked if Mr Johnson - who has returned from a holiday in Slovenia - would summon a meeting of Cobra, No 10 said it would be up to Mr Johnson's successor to make any decisions on further support for households.

The spokesman also said there were no plans to recall Parliament, but that Mr Johnson and his Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi are meeting this week to discuss progress on the support measures already announced.

Responding to No 10's comments, Labour's shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves said "people are worried sick about how they'll pay their bills... and all this Tory prime minister does is shrug his shoulders".

She said the two leadership candidates could only "offer more of the same", adding: "Labour would start by scrapping tax breaks on oil and gas producers and providing more help to people who are struggling to pay their energy bills."

Meanwhile, the two MPs hoping to take over the leadership have been criticising each other's plans to address mounting living costs.

Mr Sunak has warned that the plans of his rival Ms Truss "won't touch the sides".

Supporters of Ms Truss say her proposed tax cuts would help people, but did not rule out offering further support.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×