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Ed Miliband: my family probably spends £80 a week on groceries Ed Miliband: my family probably spends £80 a week on groceries
(about 1 hour later)
Ed Miliband has insisted that he can tackle concerns over the cost of living in Britain despite suggestions that he had underestimated his family's weekly food shopping bill. Ed Miliband has insisted he is well placed to focus on the cost of living crisis in Britain even though he appeared to under-estimate his family's weekly grocery bill.
The Labour leader said the cost-of-living crisis was the biggest issue facing the country – and asserted that, in spite of his "relatively comfortably off" position, he was qualified to tackle the problem. The Labour leader, who said it is right to place the issue at the front of his general election campaign even though he is "relatively comfortably off", told ITV's Good Morning Britain that his family spends at least £70 to £80 a week – and probably more – on groceries.
Asked on ITV's Good Morning Britain about the average weekly household grocery bill, Miliband responded: "It depends on how much you are spending." When he was told that the average weekly bill for a family of four was more than £100, he said: "Right, well it [the grocery bill] is more than £100."
Pressed on his own family's bill, Miliband said: "We probably spend £70, £80 a week on groceries at least, probably more than that. The point is that different families will have different costs that they face, but what I am clear about is that there is a crisis facing so many people." Miliband later clarified his remarks and said that his original estimate related to the cost of basic groceries. He told BBC Radio Oxford: "On the basics, I was saying it was about £70 or £80 but the overall shopping bill would obviously be higher."
He was told on the programme that the average weekly bill for a family of four is more than £100 – so he would be spending "significantly more" than £70 to £80. Miliband responded: "Lots of people are facing a real struggle. I am relatively comfortably off, but what I know is that there are deep issues that need to be tackled and we are determined to tackle them." But Labour's opponents seized on Miliband's remarks. Kris Hopkins, the housing minister, tweeted: "Ed Miliband on ITV Breakfast. Usual disaster. Can we have him on every morning please?"
He added: "I think this issue of the cost-of-living crisis is the biggest issue that our country faces and I am determined we tackle it. I am absolutely determined we tackle it." Miliband ran into trouble when he was asked about his family's grocery bill. The Labour leader, who is married with two young children, said: "We probably spend £70, £80 a week on groceries at least, probably more than that. The point is that different families will have different costs that they face, but what I am clear about is that there is a crisis facing so many people."
Miliband later admitted that his shopping estimate may have been on the low side, saying he had been thinking of the bill for "basic groceries". When he was told that he would spend "significantly more" than his estimate, on the grounds that the average weekly bill for a family of four was more than £100, Miliband acknowledged that many people were struggling and said he would continue to focus on the cost of living crisis. This was caused, he said, by an historic break between wages and prices as inflation outstripped wage increases during the recession. This appeared to be coming to an end, though Miliband said he would continue to focus on the issue because millions of people were still struggling on low wages.
Speaking on BBC Radio Oxford, the Labour leader said: "Well, I said this morning it was on the basic groceries, the basic fruit and vegetables, about £70 or £80 – the total shopping bill was slightly higher than that, obviously. He said: "Lots of people are facing a real struggle. I am relatively comfortably off, but what I know is that there are deep issues that need to be tackled and we are determined to tackle them. I think this issue of the cost-of-living crisis is the biggest issue that our country faces and I am determined we tackle it."
"On the basics, I was saying it was about £70 or £80 but the overall shopping bill would obviously be higher."