In a speech tomorrow (Saturday) at Labour’s Regional Economic
Conference in Southampton, the Shadow Chancellor will call on
to use the Spring Statement
on Tuesday 13th March to end the crisis in Local Government.
Councils across England are facing bankruptcy as a direct result
of spending cuts since 2010. Only this week councillor David
Hodges, the Conservative leader of Surrey County Council, which
covers Philip Hammond's own constituency, said: "We're facing the
most difficult financial crisis in our history. The Government
cannot stand idly by when Rome burns."
will demand the Chancellor
does not try to "stand idly by" or hide from the opportunity to
make a decision. He will point out that is running scared of his own
MPs, which is why he is so desperate to avoid further divisions
in the Conservative Party over Brexit by using the Spring
Statement to take the required action needed to help local
communities.
The Shadow Chancellor will call on to instead act by bringing
forward additional resources while he still has a chance to act,
in order to help people across our country.
He will highlight local examples in the South East, where local
authorities like Southampton have seen their spending power cut
since 2010.
MP, Labour’s Shadow
Chancellor, said:
“There is a crisis in our local and national economies yet the
Tories are bizarrely saying they will pass up an opportunity this
month to act.
"In fact, they are so desperate to play down the Spring Statement
in two weeks’ time and hide from their own economic record that
they refuse to publish any major document, and have even moved
the day away from the usual Wednesday after PMQs.
“The Chancellor will do anything to look after himself and delay
making a decision to help our struggling communities and our
economy.
“That is why he has continued with his failed economic policy of
austerity and let local Councils act like human shields having to
carry out his cuts.
“Things have got so bad that even the Tory leader of his own
local council in Surrey has demanded help and warned that they
face a "financial crisis" if the Government does not act.
“If his own local Tory council leader doesn't trust his main
economic policy, why should anyone else in the country?”
