Tory minister says people struggling with cost of living should work more hours or get better paid jobs

A Tory minister has sparked widespread outrage after suggesting that people struggling with the cost of living crisis should simply work for more hours or get better paid jobs.

Safeguarding minister Rachel Maclean made the tone-deaf comments during an interview this morning with Kay Burley on Sky News.

In a discussion about what people can do to help ease the impact of soaring fuel and food prices, Maclean made some questionable suggestions.

She said: “Over the long term we need to have a plan to grow the economy and make sure that people are able to protect themselves better.

“Whether that is by taking on more hours or moving to a better paid job and these are long term actions but that's what we're focused on as a government.”

Burley immediately hit back at Maclean’s comments saying: “You know, some people are working three jobs.

“They’re working every hour that God sends them, and they’re still going to food banks to get food because they can’t afford to feed their kids. So it’s not as straightforward as that, is it?”

Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Burley's sentiments have been echoed by other shocked viewers who were left outraged by the minister’s ludicrous comments.

“I hope Rachel Maclean's constituents in Redditch see this and send her to the Job Centre in the next election. Ghoul,” one person wrote.

Someone else commented: “Just a reminder that @redditchrachel is paid £81,000 a year as an MP, plus an additional £24,000 as a minister and last year claimed £218,000 in expenses.

“But you lot can just flog yourselves to an early grave. Vile.”

Political commentator Ash Sarkar joked: “When struggling with the cost of living, I find it helps to simply not be poor.”

Maclean has been likened to former Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague, who was criticised for her similarly controversial comments on privilege and wealth after saying that “we all have the same 24 hours in a day” to achieve success.

“What in the Molly Mae is going on here,” journalist Ava Evans wrote.

Another person asked: “Did we just get Molly Mae’d by an actual government minister.”

Another claimed, “Molly Mae won”.

Maclean is far from the only Tory MP to say something controversial about the subject.

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.