Liz Truss’s criticism of ‘handouts’ is playing politics with poverty

Editorial: The frontrunner in the Conservative leadership election must know that tax cuts alone are not the answer

Sunak may be guilty of cowardice in keeping quiet on the subject but Truss appears to be engaged in actually misleading people (PA)

The probable next prime minister was asked how she intended to help people facing rising energy bills this winter. She replied: “The way I would do things is in a Conservative way of lowering the tax burden, not giving out handouts.”

We have to hope that she does not mean it because if she does, she is promising hardship for millions. She must know – at least we must hope she does – that most of the people who will be hit hardest by further rises in gas and electricity prices will be on pensions or benefits. A cut in national insurance contributions or corporation tax is no good to them.

That is why Rishi Sunak, as chancellor, ended up helping people through the benefits system, including pension credit. He announced the scheme after he had tried “Conservative ways” of avoiding using the benefits system, including a loan to all domestic energy customers and a council tax rebate for people in houses in bands A to D.