Andy Burnham has been told his political slogans are “no substitute” for cost-of-living help.
SNP Westminster leader Dave Doogan said the Prime Minister’s promise of bringing hope back to the country “rings hollow” amid rising household bills.
The Labour Party conference begins on Sunday just ahead of the energy price cap rising by 4% to £1,723 a year for the average household from October 1.
Mr Burnham will use the conference to set out a “new direction” for the country.
The Labour leader said he would be “drawing a line” under the country’s turbulent last 10 years since the Brexit vote and vowed to face down a challenge from the left over his Government’s stance on the Gaza conflict.
The conference begins in Liverpool on Sunday and Mr Burnham said it was “time for Britain to believe again”.
Ahead of the conference, he said: “The message will be it’s time for Britain to believe again, it’s time for Britain to have hope again. That will be the message.”
But speaking as the conference got under way, Mr Doogan said the Prime Minister must provide more cost-of-living support and “put money in people’s pockets”.
“Andy Burnham might think he’s still in his political honeymoon but back in the real world households are preparing for another harsh winter,” he said.
“A desperate political plea to ‘hope again’ rings hollow when under the Labour Party’s watch the cost-of-living emergency goes from bad to worse.
“Andy Burnham promised ‘hope’ but all people can see and feel are even higher energy, food and petrol and diesel prices.
“It’s all beginning to feel very Keir Starmer.
“Slogans are no substitute for real help for households in a deepening cost-of-living emergency.
“Instead of more vibes and TikTok videos, people are waiting to hear how this latest UK Prime Minister is going to put money in people’s pockets.”
Mr Doogan said the “permanent pattern of Westminster’s cost-of-living crisis” has “underlined the urgency of seeking to shape an economic future beyond Westminster”.
He added: “Every damaging Westminster decision over the last two decades has made people in Scotland poorer.
“Through a fresh start with independence, Scotland can use our vast energy resources to help households with rising prices, we can eradicate child poverty and build a wealthier, fairer Scotland as part of the European Union.”
