Liz McInnes MP backs ‘Breaking Point’ campaign to end austerity for local councils

Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Local Government Andrew Gwynne MP and Liz McInnes MP

Liz McInnes, Member of Parliament for Heywood and Middleton, has this week met with the organisers of the Breaking Point campaign to call for a real end to austerity for local councils.

Tory cuts to local government of over £16 billion since 2010 mean councils have lost 60p out of every £1 that the last Labour Government was spending on local government in 2010.

After almost a decade of cuts many councils are now facing a crisis in funding – Northamptonshire has already gone bust, and many others are now facing bankruptcy.

The ‘Breaking Point’ petition is the most-signed petition of Labour councillors ever – with over 5,000 Labour councillors calling on the Prime Minister and Chancellor to cancel the further planned £1.3bn cut to councils, and to provide an immediate cash injection to stop children's services and adult social care from collapsing.

Liz McInnes MP said: “The Breaking Point campaign has my total support.

“Labour councillors have come together in unprecedented numbers to send a clear warning to the Prime Minister and Chancellor that austerity is driving councils to the point of total collapse.

“I’m joining with Labour councillors to deliver a powerful message to the Prime Minister and Chancellor that councils simply cannot take any more cuts.

“The next Labour Government will sustainably fund our councils and put an end to this crisis. If the Budget doesn’t reverse the further cuts planned to local government for next year then there is no doubt that more councils will collapse into bankruptcy, causing devastating effects for children at risk, disabled adults, and vulnerable older people.”

Cllr Nick Forbes, Leader of the LGA Labour Group said: “We’re delighted that Liz is backing the ‘Breaking Point’ campaign.

“A record number of Labour councillors have signed the Breaking Point petition in less than two weeks – which shows the depth of anger and concern at the state of council finances. If the Prime Minister‘s claim that ‘austerity is over’ is to have any credibility, she simply must find the money we need to stop vital services from disintegrating.”

Find out more about the campaign and the impact of the cuts on local services at:

https://www.councilsatbreakingpoint.com