Henry Vann slams reckless and unfair Labour spending

5.51.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 15th Jul 2008

Bedford gets less money than similar towns in all other regions

According to a recent report by the Institute for Public Policy Research, Bedford is in the region that gets the least funding: 18 per cent per person below the national average according to the Barnett formula. Meanwhile, London gets 28 per cent more per person than the national average. That's a spending difference of 46 per cent.

The research shows that government spending in the North West and North East is higher than the average, whilst that in devolved administrations is much higher - though this is slowly decreasing.

The East of England suffers a spending of just £3,820 well below the £4,679 UK average and even further below the amount this government spends on London: £5,985 per head.

Henry Vann, the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Bedford and Kempston said:

"This research shows up Labour's lack of investment in our region. I am appalled at the variation between London and the East of England. This throws the notion of fair regional investment out of the window.

"Why the government has chosen not invest in our region is a mystery to me: we have innovative businesses, a potentially thriving economy - despite government cuts - and this Labour government should stop holding us back with unfair funding arrangements.

"An MP should fight for - and win - more money for their region and their constituency and we need to call for greater fairness in spending.

"This Labour government is betraying the people of Bedford."