'Do something to help,' CBI chief tells Sunak as millions of Brits forced to skip meals

17 May 2022, 08:02 | Updated: 17 May 2022, 09:09

CBI Boss calls for Chancellor to help people skipping meals

By Will Taylor

Millions of Brits are skipping meals to cut back spending in the cost of living crisis.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Families are struggling to afford food and pay for soaring energy bills, forcing them to use the gas hob for heating or telling children to go to bed as soon as they get home so they can keep warm.

Tony Danker, the director general of the Confederation of British Industry, demanded Rishi Sunak intervenes now to help the worst affected in the crisis.

"One thing I don't think we can accept are people skipping meals," he told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast.

"We know in downturns, we know in tough economic times, everybody turns off the lights, and everybody takes cautionary measures to slow down their spending.

Read more: 'Helpless' Bank of England Governor warns of 'apocalyptic' food price rises

The CBI called on the Chancellor to help the hardest hit
The CBI called on the Chancellor to help the hardest hit. Picture: LBC

"But what we are calling on today is those people, and some estimates say it's as many as one or two million people, who have started skipping meals, that's just a level of hardship that's unacceptable.

"So we're saying to the Chancellor, step in now to support those people. We're not calling for mass tax cuts across the economy, we're not calling for an emergency budget right now, we're saying look, do something to help the hardest hit.

Squeezed Brits face soaring costs
Squeezed Brits face soaring costs. Picture: Alamy

"At the same time, what can we do now to make sure that if we do have a slowdown, if we do have a cost of living crisis for everyone, it's slow and shallow."

He said the challenge was to effectively slow down the economy without bringing it to a standstill, comparing it to learning "clutch control" when you start learning to drive.

Findings by the Action for Children society said families were struggling to afford food, school uniforms and heating, using one gas hob to try and heat a room.

Read more: Martin Lewis 'loses rag' as he blasts energy price cap changes as 'f***ing disgrace'

In one case, a parent said she had to put her toddler in bed with their tea to keep warm, while another child had to take days off school after suffering chilblains from their cold home.

The Government has pointed to its £22bn spend on helping people pay their bills, including a £150 council tax rebate, and cutting fuel duty.

An ONS graph with the comprehensive measure of inflation, the consumer prices index and the owner occupied housing index
An ONS graph with the comprehensive measure of inflation, the consumer prices index and the owner occupied housing index. Picture: Office for National Statistics

There was also a bleak warning about food prices from the Governor of the Bank of England on Monday.

Andrew Bailey told MPs: "The main driver of inflation and what brings it down is the very big, real income shock which is coming from outside forces and, particularly, energy prices and global goods prices.

"That will have an impact on domestic demand and it will dampen activity, and I'm afraid it looks like it will increase unemployment."

He said he felt "helpless" but defended the bank's monetary policy.

Mr Bailey said he felt helpless over the crisis
Mr Bailey said he felt helpless over the crisis. Picture: Alamy

And the £570,000-a-year governor added that people on big pay packets should "think and reflect" before asking for a big raise, in order to curb inflation.

The Office for National Statistics said inflation was at 7 per cent in March and is expected to say over 8 per cent inflation was seen last month.

The Bank of England expects to see inflation peak at 10.25 per cent in the last quarter of 2022.

Labour wants it to implement a windfall tax on big profits taken by big energy firms, which Mr Johnson has previously urged caution about implementing, but refused to rule out.

Asked if more help was on the way, he told LBC last week that "there is more coming down the track… July and so on", but did not go into detail.

More Nick Ferrari

See more More Nick Ferrari

Rishi Sunak’s job is under threat from a plot of backbench Tory MPs who want to replace him with Penny Mordaunt before the general election.

Tories 'need to stop messing around and get behind the Prime Minister,' Business Secretary tells LBC

Exclusive
'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

'This is trivia': Kemi Badenoch hits out at continued furore over Tory donor 'racism' row

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

Government suspends tariffs on key imports to boost SMEs launching £660 million northern powerhouse fund

'Floating voters' unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

LBC's 'Floating Voters' left unconvinced by Jeremy Hunt's Budget

Leila Khaled, who hijacked planes, will appear via video link at a fundraiser hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Andy Street wants police to look at the event

'I'm not comfortable with it': West Mids Mayor to speak to police amid fury over Palestinian hijacker’s fundraiser

Andy Street taking calls from the public on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

Tory MP's claim that Birmingham has 'no-go areas' was 'ridiculous', West Midlands Mayor tells LBC

Minister quizzed on tweet where he described Trump as 'cancer'

Minister Bim Afolami says tweet in which he referred to Donald Trump as 'a cancer' is appropriate

Lee Anderson

Police 'looking into hate speech complaint against Lee Anderson' after MP said Sadiq Khan was controlled by Islamists

Richard Tice said he turned down two Tories who tried to join the party

Reform UK leader Richard Tice says he rejected two Tory MPs who tried to defect in the last year

Michael Tomlinson repeatedly refused to answer Nick Ferrari's question

Nick Ferrari cuts off minister who refuses to answer his questions nine times over Lee Anderson's 'Islamophobic remarks'

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

Lee Anderson refuses to apologise for 'Islamist' comments as he doubles down on criticism of Sadiq Khan

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt for sacking Lee Anderson

PM denies Tories have 'Islamophobic tendencies' as minister says Lee Anderson's comments were 'profoundly wrong'

Dame Esther Rantzen has told LBC why she is campaigning to change the law on assisted dying

‘Dogs get treated better than humans’, Esther Rantzen says, as TV legend demands assisted dying law change

Rishi Sunak (l) puts on a brave face to the Tories by-election defeats on a visit to Harlow. New Kingswood MP Damien Egan (top r) and Wellingborough MP Gem Kitchen (bottom r)

Rishi Sunak begs frustrated Tories 'not to put Starmer in power' after party suffers double by-election disaster

New Labour MPs Damien Egan and Gen Kitchen

'They are not very good results': Tory chairman admits after double by-election drubbings as MPs call for tax cuts

The peer was speaking to LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast

'It was known yesterday' Azhar Ali had made more Israel conspiracy theory comments, peer tells LBC