Cost of living and economy needs to be the priority for the Government - The Yorkshire Post says

We are in the depths of a cost of living crisis that is crippling household budgets. Families are more concerned about how they are going to keep the lights on and their children fed.

The fact that three bank holidays in May failed to boost sales growth, according to figures from the British Retail Consortium, with spending slowing to its lowest level in six months, just highlights the economic mire that the country finds itself in.

Lenders are also pulling mortgage deals and continuing to raise rates. This is a double-edged sword affecting both young and older voters.

It is ironic that the PM chose to visit Dover to update on the Government’s plans to stop small boat crossings, the day after a survey by Ipsos UK found that the majority of people feel that Rishi Sunak is doing a bad job on all five of his headline pledges from the start of the year - including stopping small boat crossings.

If the Government thinks that photo opportunities such as these are going to win back voters - who according to the majority of polls have abandoned the Tory Party - then it is mistaken.

The public is beginning to see through cynically designed stunts aimed at distracting from the more pressing issues affecting them.

The PM and Chancellor may have built up some credit for reversing Liz Truss’ disastrous policies. But the economy and cost of living crisis is still the major challenge facing this country.

It was James Carville, advisor to the former US president Bill Clinton, who coined the phrase “it’s the economy, stupid,” to remind the campaign of what was the key to winning the 1992 US presidential election. Mr Sunak should remember that phrase.