Jeremy Hunt mocked over video explaining high inflation

A social media video showing the Chancellor ordering a flat white before explaining why costs were rising was criticised over its punctuation, maths and the failure to mention Brexit, the huge amounts of money pumped into the economy during the Covid-19 pandemic or the impact of Liz Truss’ economic policies.

The Chancellor held up a cup marked £2.56 and said a year ago a coffee cost “around £2.50” before holding up another with £2.86 on it, which he described as “nearly £3 a cup”.

Factors contributing to inflation which is “about 10%” – the latest figures for December put CPI inflation at 10.5% – included the supply chain squeeze after the pandemic, the war in Ukraine and persistently high energy prices.

High inflation meant “unemployment going up, businesses failing, the pound in your pocket is worth less than it used to be”.

The Government’s aim to halve the inflation rate by the end of the year was listed as one of the “peoples (sic) priorities”.

Politics professor Tim Bale, from Queen Mary University of London, said the video was “a classic of the genre”.

In a tweet, he added: “I especially loved last year’s cup of coffee, costing £2.56, being described ‘as around £2.50’ as opposed to this year’s, costing £2.86, being described as ‘nearly £3.00’. (PS while I’m on, ‘Peoples Priorities’ is missing an apostrophe).”

London School of Economics media professor Charlie Beckett said the Treasury-produced video was an example of the “Conservatives using public money to produce propaganda”.

Tory former education secretary Kit Malthouse also questioned the content of the message with the comment: “Money supply?”

University of Nottingham politics emeritus professor Steven Fielding said: “I hope he recycled all those cups he wasted.”

Other Twitter users appeared more enthusiastic – the video had racked up more than 160 likes within 90 minutes of its release.