This winter, a perfect storm of price rises and support cuts will hit families hard. That is why I just endorsed a report co-ordinated by Gordon Brown and supported by 55 charities, faith groups and politicians, calling on the Government to take urgent action to bridge the gap in support.

By the autumn, living costs may rise by as much as 14% for low-income families, while the support they receive has only risen by 3%. Families with two children will face a shortfall of at least £1,600 – a staggering sum of money that many families simple don’t have.

That is why I’m urgently calling on the Government to bridge the gap and help families survive through the cost-of-living crisis, including supporting the Co-operative Party’s campaign to increase and expand the Household Support Fund.

We will need to campaign and organise like never before to ensure that people receive the support they need. The Co-operative Party already launched new campaigns on energy bills support, retrofitting and more – and this is just the beginning.

The cost of living crisis demands action from leaders at all levels of government. That’s why I’m proud that two of my fellow Labour & Co-operative Mayors, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, and Jamie Driscoll, Mayor of the North of Tyne, joined me in endorsing this report.

In the best of the co-operative tradition, we need to help our neighbours and communities locally, while pushing the Government to act nationally. To do that, we need to have a strong Co-operative team in every region of the country: campaigning, organising and fighting for change. We can and must demand better.