Edwina Currie and Alastair Campbell in furious row over cost of living hike

10 October 2021, 10:06

Edwina Currie and Alastair Campbell clash over cost of living hike

LBC listeners were left reeling after a bitter debate between a former Tory MP and Tony Blair's former comms director over a rise in the cost of living.

The government are coming under fire as supply chain issues put a strain on food and energy supplies in the UK, leading to a predicted hike in the cost of living.

The hike is to be exacerbated by a rise in National Insurance contributions and cuts to Universal Credit.

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Andrew Castle was joined by both Alastair Campbell and Edwina Currie to debate the news

"There are people in this country that are really struggling and you lot, your reaction is to pretend like the problem's not happening" Tony Blair's former Director of Communications put to Ms Currie.

Andrew backed the argument of Mr Campbell: "Cost of living is immense Edwina, and it's happening under a Conservative government whilst the prime minister is on holiday – not a great look."

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The former Junior Minister for health told Mr Campbell that "national wages have been going up" but he argued that "so is inflation."

"You're an economist Edwina" he added, arguing that the former Tory MP "ought to understand" the difficulties people face despite rising wages.

"It's a big economic shock, the pandemic and the outcome afterwards, combined with Brexit of course it is" she accepted.

Mr Campbell didn't accept Ms Currie's points: "This is the latest make it up as you go along excuse to the fact that Brexit is not working in the way you said it would."

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"Oh, we're being accused of pragmatism?" Ms Currie asked.

"You call it pragmatism? I call it lying, I'm afraid. We've got a liar as Prime Minister – whatever suits his purposes at the time, he will say."

Ms Currie hit back: "And you used to work for Blair."

"What's that got to do with the price of salmonella eggs?" Said Mr Campbell.