Local Government Funding

Debate between Caroline Flint and Stephen Lloyd

Monday 6th December 2010 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Flint]

As he did during a Westminster Hall debate last week, my hon. Friend lays out the real choices that are being made here about fairness and unfairness. What is happening is unfair and is not right.

[Stephen Lloyd (Eastbourne) (LD)]

Talking of hypocrisy, does the right hon. Lady agree with her party’s leader, the right hon. Member for Doncaster Central, who said on the “Today” programme in April, “as we look forward” regeneration spending is

“not the biggest priority we face”

as there are “other competing priorities.”? Is that not hypocrisy writ large?

[Caroline Flint]

The constituency of the leader of the Labour party is actually Doncaster North not Doncaster Central.

As I opened the debate, I did not hesitate for a moment to say that reductions and cuts would have had to be made. The question is how much, how deep and how fast. It is not just Labour politicians who are saying that; the chair of the Local Government Association, Baroness Eaton, a Conservative peer said:

“The unexpected severity of the cuts that will have to be made next year will put many councils in an unprecedented and difficult position.”

I could not have put it better myself.