Chancellor warns of more cost-of-living pain because of Iran war but promises to be hands on to protect the public Daily Telegraph 01/08/26 John Healey, the Chancellor, has warned supermarkets that he will not allow them to take the public “for a ride” as a result of the Middle East crisis . Writing for The Telegraph , Mr Healey said he would be watching closely for “any suggestion” that customers are being ripped off, either when shopping for essential groceries or when filling up their car at the petrol pump. He promised to get tough on “price-gouging” at the pump or the till, cautioning that regulators “have the powers to clamp down on it if it happens”. The higher oil and petrol prices triggered by the Iran conflict threaten to undermine Andy Burnham’s pledge to give families and businesses “breathing room” after years of a cost-of-living crisis. Increased energy prices have a knock-on effect on the cost of transporting goods as well as the price of fertiliser for food prod...