U.K. environment secretary Therese Coffey touched off a firestorm by suggesting the British public work more as skyrocketing inflation grips the United Kingdom.
, told fellow members of Parliament that "one of the best ways for people to boost their income is not only to get into work if they are not in work already, but to work more hours or get upskilled to get a higher income."
Britain’s Office of National Statistics reported food inflation stood at 16.8% in January, and Coffey acknowledged that the United Kingdom’s inflation rate was pushing Britons to their financial limits, calling the skyrocketing prices "really tough." Environment Secretary Therese Coffey speaking during the National Farmers Union Conference at the ICC, Birmingham, Feb. 22, 2023.
Labour MP Rachael Maskell called Coffey’s suggestion that struggling Britons should work more "out of touch" and "utterly disgraceful." , leading some stores to limit sales. Coffey pinned the shortage on poor weather in Spain and Morocco, noting that the U.K. imports billions of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables from abroad but insisting the supply chain was "highly resilient.
Coffey came under fire for telling MPs that Britons should "cherish" U.K.-grown produce like turnips while tomatoes and cucumber supplies are limited. Shadow Environment Secretary Jim McMahon called her remarks a "slow motion tractor crash" and an "insult to hardworking farmers."
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