UK MP: Britons should work harder amid record-hitting inflation

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In an interview with Sky News, Under-Secretary of State for Safeguarding Rachel Maclean acknowledged that Britons have been suffering from soaring prices due to inflation. She stated clearly that due to rising living costs, Britons should consider adding some working hours or finding higher-paying jobs in an attempt to tackle the financial crisis.

In May, the Bank of England predicted that inflation in the UK will hit an all-time high this year. Inflation reached a 10% increase in the fourth quarter and a surge in food and energy prices as a result of the Ukrainian crisis. This increase means that the Bank will be under pressure to raise interest rates, as households suffer under the weight of increased prices.

"Over the long term we need to have a plan to grow the economy and make sure that people are able to protect themselves better - whether that is by taking on more hours or moving to a better-paid job and these are long term actions but that's what we were focused on as a government," Maclean said.

She noted that her suggested measures of accommodation are inapplicable to Britons who are already working several jobs, adding that the government has already taken action to help people with bills and that there is more coming. 

Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Kyle criticized Maclean's strategy and suggestions explaining that they threaten to alienate people from their families. Kyle urges the government to take tangible steps to curve inflation.

"What we need ministers to be doing is solving the economic problems that families have – this is their jobs as politicians. Their jobs as politicians aren't just to tell people to work harder, work longer and go for a promotion," Kyle told Sky News.

"It's actually to accept the reality that because of the decisions they are making, people are no longer able to eat a decent diet. This is the situation that we face and there are direct political consequences to the priorities and decisions made," he added.

Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain agreed with Kyle and further pointed out that Britons are already overwhelmed and cannot be asked to do more, saying, "So the Conservatives’ answer to the cost-of-living emergency is that people should just earn more? This shows just how out of touch they truly are."

This comes as inflation is expected to double later this year amid a biting cost of living crisis.

UK inflation jumps to 6.2%, highest since 1992

Britain revealed in March a budget update aimed at easing a cost of living crisis, while data disclosed a spike in inflation to a three-decade high on soaring energy prices. 

Annual inflation spiked from 5.5% in January to 6.2% in February, said the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in a statement ahead of finance minister Rishi Sunak's budget announcement.

"The further rise in inflation... adds to the pressure on the Chancellor to offset more of the cost of living crisis," noted Capital Economics analyst Paul Dales.

It is worth noting that the last time the British inflation rate was higher was in March 1992 when it stood at 7.1%.