BORIS Johnson will today come under further pressure in the House of Commons when the SNP lead a debate on the soaring rise in the cost of living.

The Prime Minister has been facing a series of calls to quit – including from senior Tory figures – over reports of numerous parties held at No 10 during lockdown.

Senior civil servant Sue Gray is expected to deliver her findings into the partygate affair later this week, with Conservative MPs deciding to see what her findings are before opting to put in letters of no confidence or not in the Prime Minister.

Today the SNP will say the UK Government is “so caught up in scandal and distracted by sleaze” that it is failing to tackle the cost of living crisis.

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The party is calling for an emergency financial package to support families amid soaring inflation due to rising food prices, fuel bills and pending increases this April in national insurance contributions.

Last month the UK’s rate of inflation rose to 5.4%, the highest level for nearly 30 years.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the consumer price index (CPI) measure for inflation increased from 5.1% in November. It was the highest rate since March 1992, when inflation stood at 7.1%.

The increase in the cost of living also comes in the wake of a £20 a week cut to universal credit, which campaigners say will push 20,000 more children in Scotland into poverty.

For Scots householders there are further fears of council tax rises in April after the Scottish Government lifted the freeze on council tax for local authorities.

Leading an opposition day debate at Westminster, the SNP MP David Linden will say Tory cuts, regressive tax hikes and the soaring cost of Brexit have squeezed household budgets and pushed millions of families into poverty – but Tory ministers are failing to reverse the damage they have caused.

The SNP Shadow Work and Pensions spokesman will say the UK Government can’t escape the fact it’s policies have left families demonstrably worse off. He will urge Tory MPs to get rid of Johnson “without further delay” so the UK government can focus on tackling the crisis.

“The UK Government is so caught up in scandal, and distracted by sleaze, that it is failing in its basic duty to protect people from the worsening Tory cost of living crisis,” Linden will say.

“Tory MPs must finally show Boris Johnson the door so they can turn their attention to delivering the support that families urgently need and reversing the rising poverty on their watch.”

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“Twelve years of Tory cuts, regressive tax hikes and the soaring cost of Brexit have squeezed household budgets and pushed people into poverty. The Tory government cannot escape the fact that it has left families worse off and is failing to reverse the damage it has caused.

“Under Boris Johnson, the UK has the worst levels of poverty and inequality in North West Europe and the highest in-work poverty this century. That’s not a record to be proud of.”

He will add: “The UK Government must finally introduce an emergency package to boost household incomes – reversing the Tory cuts to Universal Credit, matching the Scottish Child Payment UK-wide, delivering a low-income energy payment, introducing a real living wage and raising sick pay.

“Tory ministers are making the case for independence by imposing cuts and failing to use reserved powers to tackle poverty. Independence is the only way to keep Scotland safe and the only way to secure the full powers required to eradicate poverty and build a fairer future.”