South Shields MP brands Government's potential support package for South Tyneside as 'insulting'

The MP for South Shields has told Rishi Sunak that his Government’s local lockdown strategy is “killing” the area’s economy.
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During a parliamentary debate, Emma Lewell-Buck blasted Number 10’s plans for multiple lockdowns “with no end in sight” and branded the supposed financial support sum for the area, should it enter Tier 3, as “insulting”.

Addressing the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the the House of Commons, Mrs Lewell-Buck said: “Repeated local lockdowns with no end in sight are killing our economy in South Shields.

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"In the past lockdown, we received £26 million of support. I have been advised that the financial package offered to us this time, should we end up in tier 3, would be just over £1 million.

South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck. Picture by FRANK REIDSouth Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck. Picture by FRANK REID
South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck. Picture by FRANK REID

"Can the Chancellor confirm or deny that insulting amount?”

The pointed question comes as a stand-off between Greater Manchester councils and Whitehall reached a high point, as the hard-hit region argued for a more generous funding package before heading into Tier 3 – Whitehall’s highest Covid-19 alert level.

It has been confirmed that Greater Manchester will enter Tier 3 on Friday and was followed by news that the Sheffield region will also move into Tier 3.

Mrs Lewell-Buck said that through her parliamentary question she had been “echoing” concerns raised by a considerable number of small business owners and other workers across the constituency.

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A number of the area’s hospitality businesses – particularly ‘wet’ pubs that do not serve food - have told The Gazette in recent weeks that they fear never re-opening if the area were to enter Tier 3.

Others, however, say they would welcome South Tyneside being placed in the higher alert level.

Mrs Lewell-Buck called the £1.2 million figure – an application of the basic £8 per head spend, which is set aside for local authorities in Tier 3, to the population of South Shields – a “blunt tool”.

She said a “short, sharp national lockdown with an appropriate financial support plan to get us through that period is the right way to tackle this“ and that the “Government is trying to create a sense of chaos, with new rules and language around restrictions changing on a weekly basis, to distract from its poor handling of the pandemic”.

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The MP added that “people can commit to short-term sacrifices if there is a clear plan and they know they are going to have some form of support during that designated period.

"At the moment, there are none of those guarantees and so the all rule changes begin to lose meaning”.

Mr Sunak responded to the South Shields MP’s intervention by saying: “With respect to support for local authorities entering tier 3, as I have set out there is a national funding formula that provides a per capita amount to the local authority of up to £8 per head at the highest tier to provide support for local enforcement, compliance and track and trace.

"On top of that, there is support that the national Government provide for businesses that are closed.

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"Their employees can be put on the job support scheme, and, in addition, my Right Honourable friend the Communities Secretary can talk to local authorities about providing bespoke extra support as required.”

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