Oral Answers to Questions

Barry Sheerman Excerpts

Monday 7th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Kemi Badenoch]

My right hon. Friend is right. Local news providers remain uniquely placed to undertake the investigative journalism and scrutiny of public institutions that is vital to ensuring a healthy democracy at local level. This is primarily a matter for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, but I am happy to meet my right hon. Friend to find out more about it.

[Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op)]

Am I living in a parallel universe? [Hon. Members: “Yes!”] Listening to some Government Members talk about their experience of their local authorities and their local situation, I feel I must be in a different world. The fact of the matter is that the morale of local authorities and local councillors is at rock bottom, because during these years and years of Conservative Government there have been so few resources for local authorities to actually do their job. They want to do their job—they would love to level up—but just like the northern powerhouse, this all looks like pie in the sky to my constituents.

[Kemi Badenoch]

I did not hear a question, so I will just disagree with the hon. Gentleman.