MP: Chancellor's statement is 'overlooking' rural areas

Rachel Reeves said that the government will be scaling back on its plans to invest in infrastructure like schools and hospitals and removing Winter Fuel Payments from millions of the most vulnerable people.

Conservative MP Stuart Anderson said that the Labour Chancellor’s plan to stem the flow of investment is "disproportionately austere" and would be “potentially disastrous” for rural areas like Shropshire. Last week, Stuart also secured confirmation the government is committed to delivering the £312 million investment in Shropshire’s hospital’s transformation programme.

He also said that she refused to clearly answer his question about whether the scale of cut backs was known when official estimates for public services were laid before Parliament last week.

He is now seeking urgent clarification from the Transport Secretary that the Government will fully fund Shropshire’s £136.44 million allocation from the Local Transport Fund, a new funding stream that the last Government had made available specifically for rural areas.

Stuart Anderson MP said: “Just weeks after the general election, this new government is already back-tracking on its commitment to driving economic growth. It has a huge opportunity to support rural areas by harnessing the advantages of its strong economic inheritance - with the UK having been named as the fastest growing in the G7 so far this year, inflation back to normal, and unemployment at 4 per cent."

Stuart added: "I am incredibly disappointed that this new government is also removing Winter Fuel Payments from millions of people - an annual payment that supports 24,824 people in the Ludlow area with heating costs during the cold winter months.

"The new government’s disproportionately austere attitude means it is repeatedly overlooking the enormous difference that greater investment in rural areas like Shropshire could make in unlocking our productive potential. Stemming the flow of investment could be potentially disastrous, holding back rural areas like ours. The new government should be even more ambitious for rural areas and invest in the infrastructure on which we all depend. This will tackle barriers to growth in the rural economy - growing opportunity through new jobs, skills, and investment.”