Response to cost of living crisis will define Liz Truss's time as PM - The Yorkshire Post says

The way the Government deals with the cost of living crisis will reverberate for years to come and the impact on the country could be more prolonged than the Covid pandemic.

Pushing the burden onto those that can least afford would be devastating for many families. And middle income households will find themselves facing a squeeze on incomes in the future.

The climate crisis is not going away and as a country we can’t just simply turn a blind eye if we’re going to safeguard the planet for future generations.

Yesterday’s announcement at the House of Commons, which saw Liz Truss reveal that the energy price cap would be frozen for two years at £2,500 for the average household, will no doubt provide some much needed relief to families. Yet this still represents a steep rise in prices from last winter.

There is little doubt that there is no quick fix to the cost of living crisis. Ms Truss also revealed support for businesses, offering an equivalent guarantee to them for the next six months.

The policy announcement included a temporary suspension of green levies, which are used to fund energy-efficiency schemes.

But the real crux of the debate was who picks up the bill. While the Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng will set out the expected costs later this month, the PM ruled out extending the windfall tax any further.

If energy companies continue to rake in billions of pounds in profits, shouldering the whole weight of paying back this guarantee will not be palatable to taxpayers.

What is reassuring is that the new PM is focused on policy rather than bluster and soundbites. Both here and at Prime Minister’s Questions, Ms Truss engaged with questions and looked to answer them. A stark contrast to her predecessor Boris Johnson.