It is extremely frustrating to come back in here and put forward these proposals. We put forward key, targeted proposals for the budget last year and the Government completely ignored them. The Government has thrown its hands up and said the cost-of-living crisis is down to an international situation. It is blaming global oil prices for the cost-of-living crisis but the reality is core aspects of this cost-of-living crisis are down to the Government’s own policies. What did the Government do just two months ago in the middle of this cost-of-living crisis? It allowed rents to be increased further for institutional investors and corporate landlords. Record rents were allowed to be increased even higher. After households pay their bills, rents and mortgages, in this country, how many children are in poverty? One in four of every child in this country is living in poverty after their family pays their rent or their mortgage and the Government says its policies are working and it is doing all it can. This is an absolute failure. In one of the so-called wealthiest countries in the world, 320,000 children live in poverty and the Government has increased rents. It has done nothing to stop house prices rising even more and acts as if this cost-of-living crisis has nothing to do with it when fundamental parts of it are because of its policies. We in the Social Democrats have put forward solution after solution which the Government has ignored. That is why people across this country are so angry and frustrated and we are too. We need a policy change - a dramatic change - and we need investment in our future so that we do not leave ourselves in this situation again. We need investments in solar panels and in renewable energy, and not hand it over to the private market and leave it to the private market in terms of who can and who cannot afford it. The State has to lead because there is massive inequality in this country between those who can afford the solar panels, renewable energies and the EV cars and those who are stuck in mouldy, damp properties. They cannot afford the rent or solar panels. It is not acceptable and the Social Democrats do not accept it. We believe there is a much better way. That is why we put forward this motion and we will continue to push it.

Sentiment score: -0.24