‘The government’s got to get its hand in its pocket’: Darlington speaks out on the cost of living crisis

theguardian.com:

Robin Blair has been behind his fruit and vegetable stall since he was three months old – in a carrycot under the till where his mother worked. Now 77, his is one of the last businesses in the historic market in Darlington, the “red wall” town won by the Tories in 2019, where Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak will hold their north-east hustings on Tuesday evening.

Cost of living questions look set to dominate the rest of the campaign. In Darlington, energy bills are predicted to rise to almost 15% of the average household’s income after tax.

Blair says he has been through tough times in the past but admitted he was apprehensive about the catastrophic price rises this winter. “I think the government’s got to get its hand in its pocket – when things are good, they are quick to put taxes up,” he says. “Our biggest worry is fuel; we are growers as well, old-fashioned market gardeners.”

He is fearful too for the future of the town and the empty shops on the high street. Trendy bars and cafes have opened in the old townhouses in Darlington’s attractive streets, but there are gaping holes in the large retail spaces that only big brands can afford.

For business owners and shoppers on the high street, there is a shake of the head at the idea that government cannot give more help with bills and a sense of inevitability that it will have to come anyway. Earlier in the day, Truss doubled down on her refusal to offer significant help to people with soaring energy bills this winter.

David Jackson, the last butcher in the market hall, has some cautious praise for the Conservatives’ new MP in the town, Peter Gibson. But he says his business is facing “astronomical” costs. “People aren’t going to be able to pay their bills. It’s simple,” he says. He