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Local councils face ‘perfect storm’ from Covid and funding gap, Starmer warns
Local authorities are facing a double whammy of coronavirus and a massive £10bn “black hole” in their finances, Labour has warned.
Sir Keir Starmer is to tell the Local Government Association’s annual conference today that he will commit a future Labour administration to building a new relationship with councils.
Sir Keir will also use his online address to reaffirm his commitment to replacing the House of Lords with an elected second chamber representing “the nations and regions” of the UK.
“A Labour government would win power in order to hand it back to the nations, regions, cities and towns across our country,” he will say.
“We would give local government a much bigger say over investment and services, not through plans devised by someone in an office on Whitehall, but ones created and rooted in communities, so that they truly serve the people.
“We would put local government, its power and its innovation, straight at the heart of Westminster by replacing the House of Lords with a democratic second chamber representing the nations and regions of the UK.
“And we would give councillors, communities and people on the front line in our public services a bigger say over the decisions that affect them.”
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said it was giving councils “unprecedented support” through the pandemic with a £27bn package of help.
“This government is committed to levelling up prosperity and opportunity across the country,” a spokesperson said.