The cost of living crisis continues to have a huge impact on millions of people across the country, but one Tory MP has put forward her idea for how to tackle it.
As energy bills soar and thousands across the country are taking industrial action over real-terms pay cuts, Rebecca Pow has suggested we all re-use last year’s wrapping paper.
The environment minister uploaded a video of herself ironing old paper, saying: “It saves a lot of money but also saves an awful lot of waste.”
Pow also posted a link to an article titled “24 ways to waste not this Christmas” on the government website which includes advice to use “old newspaper to wrap gifts or even recycle last year’s paper”.
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Speaking in the video, she said: “Obviously you have to be really careful, low low low heat on the iron, because one does not want any risk of fire.”
\u201cMy top Christmas #recycling tips \n\nIroning old wrapping paper means you can re-use last year\u2019s \ud83c\udf81\n\nMore tips at https://t.co/9x9wlsLMtT\n\n#GreenChristmas @DefraGovUK\u201d— Rebecca Pow (@Rebecca Pow) 1671553804
With the energy price cap in the UK rising twice this year, pushing energy bills for the average UK household up to around £2,500 per year, the advice didn’t go down well on Twitter.
One user wrote: “And you have to be able to afford the electricity for the iron. Maybe it’s on her expenses!”
Another said: “Condescending and patronising! Just how far out of touch are these Tories.”
One more added: “Cost of wrapping paper : £2. Energy cost for ironing old wrapping paper: £5.”
The cost of living crisis is affecting millions across the UK, and the grim reality of it all was recently laid bare in a heartbreaking Twitter post.
Teacher and broadcaster Mehreen Baig took to social media to share an experience she had at her school involving one of the young students.
“Yesterday, one of our students nearly fainted at school because she hadn’t eaten. We gave her two apples,” she wrote. “She ate one, and put one in her bag for her younger sibling. Talking about cost of living isn’t enough. Our children are starving.”
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