The Government is “firmly on your side” when it comes to cutting living costs, Boris Johnson has claimed, as he pledged to cut taxes and extend the right to buy to housing association tenants.

In a meandering speech from Blackpool, Mr Johnson also said that the “time has come” to close inefficient ticket offices in train stations, and made reference to tariffs on bananas and olives.

The Prime Minister said that officials will “bring forward a new right to buy scheme” as he told reporters there are 2.5 million households whose homes belong to associations, who are “trapped, they can’t buy, they don’t have the security of ownership, they can’t treat their home as their own or make the improvements that they want”.

He said that some associations have treated tenants with “scandalous indifference”.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson during his speech at Blackpool and The Fylde College in Blackpool

“So, it’s time for change,” he added and said that it would give “millions” more the chance to own their own home and would see “one-for-one replacement of each social housing property sold” while being affordable within existing spending plans.

He also emphasised that the Government is “firmly on your side” in cutting living costs.

“This Government is firmly on your side in cutting those costs,” Boris Johnson said in a speech in Blackpool, telling the audience the Government was on the side of both British farmers and consumers.

He added: “We do not grow many olives in this country that I am aware of – why do we have a tariff of 93p per kilo of Turkish olive oil?

“Why do we have a tariff on bananas? This is a truly amazing and versatile country, but as far as I know we don’t grow many bananas, not even in Blackpool.

“We are on your side, we are on your side in tackling fuel bills, and not just with the cash help that I have set out just now.”

Wrapping up the speech, the Prime Minister added: “We are on your side in cutting costs of childcare, we are on your side in cutting the costs of fuel, we are on your side in cutting transport costs, we are on your side in cutting the costs of home ownership, and of course we are on your side in cutting the tax bill as fast as you responsibly can, and that in itself is an immense driver of productivity and growth.

“In spite of all the pressures that this economy currently faces, we know that we will get through them as we got through previous pressures and emerged stronger the other side.”

Boris Johnson pledges Government 'firmly on your side' as he reveals right to buy housing reforms