Dame Angela Eagle MP Standing up for Wallasey
Every day people in Wallasey are feeling the impact of cuts to their local council, from library closures, to underfunded social care provision or potholes in the roads.
Yesterday, I joined Andrew Gwynne to raise awareness of the massive funding crisis affecting Local Government across the country.
Eight years of Tory austerity has pushed many councils to breaking point, with funding cut by nearly half since 2010, which will leave a huge funding gap of £3.9 billion by 2019. In Wirral, the council have had a staggering £170 million cut from their budget, and they are facing further cuts of £130 million.
This means that our Labour-run Wirral council will have £635 less to spend per household by 2020 than in 2010. Under the Tories some of the most deprived areas in the country are hit the hardest, while Tory councils are given a better deal.
Earlier this year, we saw the Tory-run Northamptonshire County Council declare bankruptcy, and it is estimated that around 30 councils will have completely run out of money by 2022, which is less than four years away.
The Labour Party would halt and reverse these austerity policies to protect our vital public services, such as education, fire safety and social care, but in the meantime, I will be demanding that the Chancellor follows through on the pledge made by Theresa May that austerity is over, and drastically increases the funding for Local Government in the Budget next week.