Boris Johnson 'living in different universe' by ignoring cost of living crisis, claims Tracy Brabin

The Labour mayor of West Yorkshire said she found the Prime Minister’s speech “insulting” as it skirted issues like the end of the Universal Credit uplift and recent petrol shortages.

Ms Brabin made the comments as she announced she is opting not to use extra tax-raising powers in her first year in office because of the financial squeeze facing people in West Yorkshire.

She told The Yorkshire Post she has taken the decision not to implement ‘mayoral precept’ powers in the West Yorkshire devolution agreement that allow her to consult on adding to council tax bills to fund activities like transport schemes.

The fundraising powers have previously been used in Greater Manchester by Andy Burnham to cover the cost of free bus travel for 16 to 18-year-olds.

Ms Brabin said she has opted not to use the mayoral precept for the 2022/23 financial year.

“If there was a project you would want to raise money for that is specific to your powers of transport and planning, you could then go to the public and consult with them to say I want to add this to your council tax bills,” she said.

“I don’t think the time is right at the moment to do that when we have seen over £1,000 lost across the country from six millions families with the changes to the uplift of Universal Credit, with the National Insurance hike next year, with the squeeze on energy prices and the exponential rise in gas prices.

“The cost of living crisis is so acute at the moment, I don’t think the timing is right for a mayoral precept.”

She said despite West Yorkshire’s need for public transport improvements, she felt it would not be right to increase taxes on local residents to pay for initiatives.

“The burden has to be felt by the people with the broadest shoulders, not the people of West Yorkshire who are on minimum wages. We can’t be in a position where we are squeezing those who are finding life the hardest in order to make up for the failings of Government.”

She added: “We have to be mindful of those who are really struggling. I was so frustrated at Boris Johnson’s speech because it was almost as if he was living in a different universe to the people I know in West Yorkshire.

“There was no mention of the cost of living crisis, there was no mention of Universal Credit, there was no mention of the difficulties people are facing getting petrol. My sister is a carer and she was struggling to get petrol the other day.

"Her company were having to send her GPS notifications of where the local petrol stations had petrol, she would get there and it would be gone. There was no mention of the reality of people’s lives in that speech. I’ve just reflected on it - now would definitely not be the time to bring in the precept.”

Mr Johnson’s speech did not mention the end of £20-a-week Universal Credit uplift that came into force on the same day. But he did defend the manifesto-breaking decision to raise National Insurance to provide extra funding for the NHS and social care by claiming Margaret Thatcher would have taken a similar approach.

“Margaret Thatcher would not have ignored this meteorite that has just crashed through the public finances,” he said. “She would have wagged her finger and said more borrowing now is just higher interest rates and even higher taxes later.”

He said that “investing in skills, skills, skills… is how we help to cut the cost of living for everyone”.

Mr Johnson said he wanted to move the country to a “high wage, high skills, high productivity and low tax economy”. He said: “Yes it will take time and yes it will sometimes be difficult but that was the change that people voted for in 2016 and that was the change they voted for again powerfully in 2019.”

Ms Brabin said she did not consider his speech to match up to economic reality.

“It is quite insulting for him to utterly disregard the cost of living crisis for my citizens, the people of West Yorkshire. I think Yorkshire folk see through the bluster. We have - almost universally - businesses saying he is not even listening. Business is saying he is economically illiterate.

"If you are paying people more without investing in skills and training your productivity is going to be the same. You’re not going to get better outcomes for people, there’s going to be a rise in inflation so the poorest people are going to be paying more for food. It is not going to help business or our communities.”

'New approach needed on devolution and council funding'

Tracy Brabin has urged the Government to rethink its approach to devolution and local council funding in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

“In Kirklees, 60 per cent of council funding has been cut since 2010,” she said.

“We are waiting for the Comprehensive Spending Review and there is a lot of expectation on that. It does feel that in a way we are having to do our own levelling up which is not how devolution should be working.

“It’s really an opportunity for Government to say we totally believe in devolution - its not about little pots of money here there and everywhere, we will fund councils properly and we will support mayoral ambitions.”

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you'll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click here to subscribe.