Local Government Funding Settlement

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 11:59 am on 13 December 2018.

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Photo of Chris Matheson Chris Matheson Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office) 11:59, 13 December 2018

The modus operandi of this Government—whether we are talking about the police, fire services or, as today, local government—is to smash financial support for public authorities and, when they are unable to deliver services, to attack them for such an inability; or, if they are forced to increase the council tax to make up the shortfall, to attack them politically for increasing the council tax. Since most of the additional spending power the Secretary of State is announcing today will come from the local authorities themselves, does he plan to use the same tactic in this funding round?