Ed Miliband right to acknowledge falling living standards as key economic challenge

date: 14 February 2013

embargo: For immediate release

Commenting on Ed Miliband's speech today (Thursday) on rebuilding a stronger economy, TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady said:

'Hard-pressed families are living through the biggest squeeze on their incomes in a generation.

'Today's speech acknowledges just how tough it is out there for millions of ordinary people who have seen their living standards plummet. Fairer wages and taxes will play a crucial role in building a stronger economic future for the UK.

'High food and fuel prices, wages falling in real terms, a cap on public sector pay and benefit increases, the bedroom tax, the loss of child benefit for some parents and a freeze for others all add up to a prolonged period of financial pain and misery for families on low and middle incomes that has no end in sight.

'Declining living standards, and what politicians of all parties propose to do about them, will be the issue uppermost in voters' minds at the next election.'

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