UK PM faces ‘backbench’ rebellion over hunger, poverty in home counties 

Boris Johnson is in dire straits as of now as the United Kingdom prime minister is facing another backbench rebellion over the Treasury’s spending this autumn. 

A high-profile Tory MP has hit out at 'intolerable' levels of hunger and poverty in his affluent home counties constituency. The MP has also urged ministers to abandon plans to cut universal credit. 

A leading Brexiter and MP for Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, Steve Baker has called on ministers to not ignore the cost of living crisis being faced by people 'in real trouble' in constituencies like his, who had been 'tipped over the edge' financially by the coronavirus pandemic. 

The pandemic universal credit uplift of £20 a week will be withdrawn as planned at September end, confirmed work and pensions minister Thérèse Coffey. 

Although Coffey was earlier uneasy about the end of the uplift and lobbied for its extension to September, the minister seems to have given in as both Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are opposed to its further extension. 

Baker’s comments came after a Sheffield University study identified Wycombe as having the UK’s highest levels of food insecurity. Around 14% residents had reported going hungry in January and February, while one third struggled to afford food.