Local Government Finance

Debate between Robert Neill and Mike Hancock

Tuesday 10th February 2015 Commons Chamber

[Robert Neill]

Indeed I will, Madam Deputy Speaker. As we consider the future shape of the United Kingdom, I hope we will have a genuine debate about serious devolution of financial responsibility to local authorities, but that is certainly not what the Labour party’s proposals will achieve.

[Mr Mike Hancock (Portsmouth South) (Ind)]

The hon. Gentleman, like me, has had a long career in local government. Over 40 years, I have heard successive Labour Members say that they will find a fairer system to help local government survive, but the first thing they do when they come into office is find ways to reduce the amount of money going to local government while at the same time increasing its responsibilities. How can we take seriously what the right hon. Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn) has said if he is following that same pattern?

[Robert Neill]

That is certainly true of Labour Governments when they have come into office. I would gently add that when this coalition Government came into office we said that we would abolish capping and get rid of the Standards Board and the comprehensive area assessments, and we did so. We actually delivered on what we said. That is the difference between the two.