Miliband to battle Tories on cost of living

Labour leader Ed Miliband has vowed to make the soaring cost of living the central issue at the next General Election.

In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Post, the Labour leader last night hinted he will unveil policies targeting payday lenders, energy firms and the cost of train tickets at next month’s Labour Party conference.

It marks a major fightback for Miliband who has endured a summer of negative headlines.

Commentators and party grandees have accused him of failing to seize the agenda at a critical time in the electoral cycle.

But the opposition leader insists that is set to change.

He said: “The thing I’ve been talking about all summer is the cost of living crisis facing all families.

“Families are lying awake at night worrying about how they are going to pay their bills. Alex Salmond is lying awake at night worrying about the constitution. Then you draw this contrast with the Tories.

“We’ve seen some improvement in the economy but while the Tories are saying the economy is healing the reality is that, for most families, life is getting worse.

“We’re going to make that the central issue of the next General Election how can we improve people’s living standards?” The Labour leader is still vague on specifics but it’s believed a slew of new policies will be unveiled at the conference in Brighton.

Miliband added: “You’ve got to make sure you stand up to the big interests that people perceive are making life harder by pushing prices up, from the payday lenders to the energy companies to the rail companies.

“We want a mansion tax on houses over £2 million so we can bring back a 10p starting rate of tax.

“If we were in government, we’d be repealing the millionaire’s tax cut to help make life easier for families through tax credits. Those are very concrete ideas on how a Labour government would make a difference to the family.”

Yet, in a move that will incense many Labour voters, he refused to commit to repealing the so-called bedroom tax that has seen housing benefit cut for many of society’s neediest.

Miliband also warned he’s ready to get more involved in the Scottish independence referendum and hasn’t ruled out debating with Alex Salmond.