The future of the Labour Government depends on the cost of living – and right now, things are not looking good.

Sir Keir Starmer’s victory at the last general election came after a wild spike in inflation which meant living standards ended up lower than they had been five years earlier.

There were other factors in the collapse of the Conservatives – but there is no doubt that one huge reason the public turned away from the party was a widespread feeling that Tory rule had left people worse off.

These days, the cost of living does not hog the headlines in the same way as other hot-button issues such as immigration and foreign affairs.

But polls suggest it is still voters’ main priority. A BMG Research survey for The i Paper in August found that three quarters of people name

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