Starmer's Struggling to Support Struggling Families – Here’s How He Can Make a Real Difference

KEIR STARMER yesterday stood before the nation to declare he is on the side of hard-pressed families.

He has vowed to “protect the British people at home and abroad” in an “uncertain and volatile world” — but the reality tells a very different story of and dwindling hope.

PM Sir Keir Starmer stood before the nation to declare he is on the side of hard-pressed familiesCredit: AFP Labour are presiding over a fresh cost-of-living squeezeCredit: Getty

Indeed, his promise will ring hollow for many households as brings a fresh wave of , piling yet more pressure on

While points to a temporary fall in energy bills and a higher minimum wage as proof he is on the side of working families, many households will see it differently.

His Government is presiding over a fresh squeeze, which is now being exacerbated by the fallout from the

While, at the same time, ministers are sucking in huge sums in extra tax revenue from an already skint public.

Average at UK forecourts hit 184.2p a litre yesterday, up 41.8p since the Middle East crisis began, while petrol rose 20.9p to 153.68p.

As motorists are hammered by soaring prices, the Treasury has already banked an extra £90million in VAT.

But when you factor in the wider tax take from pricier fuel and stronger oil and gas profits, the Government is actually pulling in an estimated £20million more every day.

Despite the carnage at the pumps, the PM said: “I know the public are concerned about the conflict in Iran and what it means for them and their families.”

He followed this by claiming: “I want to reassure them that they have a Government on their side, working with allies on de-escalation and bearing down on the cost of living.”

However, the Prime Minister’s refusal to slash fuel duty looks increasingly tin-eared when compared to European allies who have moved mountains to protect their citizens at the pumps.

In , excise duty was slashed by 20 cents on diesel and 15 cents for petrol, while rolled out a massive €5billion (£4.36billion) package that cut VAT on fuels from 21 per cent to ten per cent to save drivers 30 cents (26p) per litre.

has gone even further by dropping fuel VAT to just eight per cent and introducing price controls, and Vietnam has scrapped VAT on gasoline and diesel to keep its moving.

Average diesel prices at UK forecourts hit 184.2p a litre yesterday, up 41.8p since the Middle East crisis began, while petrol rose 20.9p to 153.68pCredit: PA

While governments in Tasmania and Victoria, to ease the squeeze, Starmer is instead allowing to eye a 5p-per-litre fuel duty hike later this year, leaving British drivers in despair.

The pain is not limited to the forecourts, as business leaders warn that the real April Fools are sitting in the Cabinet, imposing a new green plastic tax and minimum wage rises that will force firms to hike prices just to survive.

The Food and Drink Federation has issued a chilling warning that these mounting costs will send soaring to nine per cent by Christmas, threatening a blow to consumer prices as devastating as the 41-year high seen in 2022.

At the same time, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has cut its UK growth forecast to just 0.7 per cent this year and lifted its inflation outlook to four per cent — double the target and the highest in the G7.

As the economic outlook worsens, yesterday’s seven per cent fall in the energy price cap to £1,641 provides only a momentary mask for the horror to come, with analysts at Cornwall Insight warning that Middle East volatility will see bills surge by £288 to nearly £1,929 by July.

The misery of Awful April, as reported in The Sun last Saturday, is being felt everywhere, starting with council tax bills that are rising by at least 4.99 per cent for millions, adding £112 to the average Band D property from today.

In Scotland, families in Aberdeenshire face ten per cent hikes, while residents in North Somerset and Shropshire are being slapped with 8.99 per cent increases, all while water bills across England and Wales jump by an average of 5.4 per cent to fund aging infrastructure.

Not even the sanctuary of the living room is safe, as the TV licence fee rises to £180 and telecom giants unleash mid-contract price hikes that will add nearly £40 to broadband bills and £28 to mobile plans.

Drivers facing the pump crisis are also being stung by a 2.56 per cent rise in Vehicle Excise Duty.

Starmer claims he is bearing down on the cost of living, but for the millions of Britons watching their bank balances evaporate today, his “protection” feels like nothing of the sort.

He is right that there is a crisis.

But if the Prime Minister’s mission is to prove he truly understands the plight of the British people, he is failing badly.