BRIDGET PHILLIPSON: Almost two million people in Britain have gone without food for a whole day

We are in the middle of a cost of living crisis that the Tories knew was coming for months, a crisis made worse in Downing Street through complacency and obstinacy.

It's bitterly obvious that they have no proper plan to help people make ends meet.

Tories on TV make it all too clear they have simply no idea of people's lives; buying cheaper brands and cancelling Netflix, their latest bright ideas, won't touch the sides of the crisis family finances face now.

Here in Sunderland, even the local Conservatives have accepted figures suggesting extra costs for families of £600 this year - more than four times the amount the Tory Chancellor Rishi Sunak has belatedly made available to help.

But the real figure looks set to be much higher than that.

Data from the Office for Budget Responsibility shows disposable income will fall by over £2,000 per household while respected think-tank the Resolution Foundation has published research estimating the average two-earner couple will see their cost of living rise by a staggering £2,600.

That's why Labour is calling for an Emergency Budget right now.

We are facing a cost of living crisis and Labour believes the role of government is to support families through it, not leave them to fester in despair.

Labour has a clear and costed plan to help right now, with a one-off windfall tax on oil and gas companies to help people cover their energy bills.

This would save families up to £600 and we would target support to pensioners and families who need it most.

Part of driving energy bills down is driving energy consumption down.

Labour would build up the United Kingdom’s renewable energy sector faster and insulate homes across the country to save households £400 every year.

But as well as inaction now, the Tories have been setting up this crisis for years, with 15 tax rises on the trot.

It's not too late for the government to act, but time is running out for families and businesses across the city.