Downing Street said today it was up to the “future prime minister” to take action on the cost of living crisis, as outgoing Boris Johnson was blamed for his absence despite a worsening economic situation.
The head of the Conservative government, who is supposed to handle current affairs, went on honeymoon in Slovenia last week as the central bank warned that inflation would top 13% in the autumn, plunging Britain into its deepest recession since financial crisis of 2008.
Finance Minister Nadeem Zahawi is also away from London.
“Conventionally, it is not up to the current prime minister to make major fiscal changes during this (interim) period. It will be the responsibility of the next prime minister” to see to that, a Downing Street spokesman said.
Johnson resigned in early July after months of scandals. Conservative party members are voting in August to nominate his successor, whose name will be announced on September 5.
As recession looks looming, Boris Johnson is absent. Since announcing his resignation, he has already been accused of not attending crucial meetings on the unprecedented heat wave that has hit Britain or not welcoming the England women’s soccer team to Downing Street after winning Euro 2022.
Instead, he celebrated his marriage to Carrie Johnson and left last week for a holiday in Slovenia, where he told local television he had a “wonderful” stay. “We had a wonderful honeymoon. We climbed all the mountains where possible, we dived in lakes, we rode bikes,” he said.
“An economic crisis like this requires leadership and urgent action, instead we have a Conservative party that has lost control,” said Labor MP Rachel Reeves.
“There needs to be someone at the helm,” former Labor prime minister Gordon Brown told ITV. “There is a void that needs to be filled.”
“If we wait for the new prime minister, it will be too late,” he warned, calling on Johnson and the two candidates to succeed him — Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak — to agree to emergency fiscal measures.
“The prime minister must meet with the two candidates within the next two weeks to agree a solution and help people and businesses pay their energy bills,” said Tony Dunker, director of the powerful British employers’ union. CBI.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called in a letter today for a meeting between the heads of government of the four British provinces to “agree emergency measures to help those who need the most support”.
Source: Capital
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