A row broke out at a meeting of North West Leicestershire District Council last week when the ruling Conservative Group accused the Opposition Labour Group of tabling a 'blatantly political' motion.

The motion called on the Council to look into the cost of living crisis - and lobby Government for more support for people within North West Leicestershire who are currently struggling to make ends meet.

Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Sean Sheahan said, "I make no apologies for putting forward a political motion at Full Council.

"Sometimes that's the best way to draw attention to an issue.

"The cost of living crisis is very real and countless families in our District are affected."

Cllr Sheahan added that the cost of living crisis has largely come about as a result of rising food and fuel prices, the cut to Universal Credit and expected increases in Council Tax and National Insurance.

He said people are running into serious debt, to put off the day when they might have to choose between heating their homes and feeding their families.

Commenting after the meeting, Cllr Sheahan said: "I think the reason the Tories found the motion so objectionable is that they knew full well if they peered down the microscope into the causes of this crisis, they would see the faces of their colleagues in Westminster staring back at them.

"The cost of living crisis didn't come about by accident, it's a direct result of Government failures."