Cost of living crisis: UK inflation hits 40-year high of 9%

It hasn’t been this bad since the early 1980s. Confirmation today that in the year to April, inflation hit a 40-year high.

The figure of 9% was expected and yet shocking – the government seemingly at a loss.

The prime minister promised to look at “all measures” that might help, but his chancellor admitted they “cannot protect people completely”.

Opposition politicians and campaigners accused the government of not protecting people at all and called for an emergency budget, and a windfall tax on oil and gas producers.