Working people pay price for Labour councils – PM
PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak has hit out at Labour-run councils across the country, with local election polls predicting widespread defeats for Conservative candidates.
During PMQS, Mr Sunak said taxes controlled by Labour – including in Wales, London and Birmingham – were indicative of what the party would do in government.
Referring to Birmingham council, the Prime Minister stated: “what Labour has done to Birmingham the Conservatives will never let them do to Britain.”
Responding to calls from Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer during PMQS to reveal how the Tories would fund a £46 billion plan to scrap national insurance, Mr Sunak said: “We’ve just cut taxes by £900 for a typical worker, we’ve delivered the biggest tax cut for businesses since the 1980s, but while we’re cutting taxes Labour is already putting them up.
“In Wales putting up taxes right now for small businesses, in Birmingham putting up council tax by 21%, in London his mayor has put up taxes by 70% and this is just a glimpse of what they’d do if they got in power, a few weeks ago he finally admitted it to The Sun, what did he say he would do? I quote, he said ‘we would put up taxes.’
“It’s always the same, higher taxes and working people paying the price.”
Later in the session, Conservative MP Andy Carter (Warrington South) said the Labour-run council in Warrington had amassed a nearly £2 billion debt.
He told MPS: “Every month my constituents see the Labour-run Warrington council spend nearly £4.5 million on interest payments to cover their £1.8 billion debt.
“Does the Prime Minister agree with me it’s time to send in the inspectors, Warrington council has gone too far in its money-making schemes.
Mr Sunak replied: “This year the Government announced a further £600 million in extra funding for local councils, a real terms increase, which it has done every single year of this Parliament.
“But we all know what happens when Labour are in charge, whether it’s racking up debt in Warrington, the 21% council tax increase in Labour-run Birmingham or indeed slashing services in Nottingham or as I just said, higher crime on average in each Labour police and crime commissioner area.
“It’s crystal clear that whenever Labour are in charge, it’s working people that pay the price.”