The Opposition United Bermuda Party will today table a motion in the House of Assembly calling on Government to take action to protect families threatened by cost of living increases.

Deputy UBP leader, Cole Simons, said he believed price rises were the "biggest challenge before Bermuda today".

The call comes as the price of a barrel of oil continued to rise to new records – reaching $145 on London markets yesterday. The last inflation figures showed prices in Bermuda were rising at more than five percent.

In a statement yesterday, Mr. Simons said: "The UBP had first put Government on notice in the Reply to the Budget in February, when we said it 'does not appear to understand the forces impacting Bermuda today', nor 'does it feel the significant cost-of-living challenges facing many'.

"In that Budget we called for direct action to help our friends and family members 'who can no longer afford to live here'."

He claimed Government spending this year did not plan for the impact of recessionary pressures on social programmes or propose any special initiatives to protect the vulnerable from price shocks.

Mr. Simons added: "The time has come for Government to step forward with a more supportive consumer protection plan to help families manoeuvre through these turbulent times."