More than 100,000 people have signed a petition supporting a call by former prime minister Gordon Brown for an emergency budget to tackle the energy and cost-of-living crisis.

Campaign group 38 Degrees said the numbers wanting to sign shows how desperate people are for help in the wake of soaring inflation.

Strategic director Ellie Gellard said: “More than 118,000 people are backing Gordon Brown’s call for an emergency budget to help hungry kids and stop families from freezing this winter.

“38 Degrees’ polling shows two out of three people support all the measures he has put on the table to take control of this crisis – including extra help for eight million vulnerable families and cancelling the energy price rise.

“Britain is so much better than our leadership right now. While PM frontrunner ‘do nothing’ Liz Truss keeps families in the dark about whether any lifelines are coming, the message from the British public is clear: act big and act now.”

Metro mayors, anti-poverty groups and faith leaders have joined Mr Brown in urging the Government to announce an emergency budget that boosts Universal Credit.

“The Government raised Universal Credit during the pandemic – providing a lifeline to millions – and, with enough pressure, they could do it again,” said 38 Degrees.