Lib Dems warn National Service plan would see cuts to vital services in Harrogate & Knaresborough after scrapping of £16.9mn local fund

The Liberal Democrats have warned that the Conservative Party’s plans to spend £2.5 billion on National Service would lead to cuts to vital services in Harrogate & Knaresborough.

The Conservatives have said their plans would be paid for by slashing funding for local areas through the Shared Prosperity Fund from 2028-29, which funds projects that boost jobs and living standards, improve public services and build pride in local communities.

This fund has provided £16.9 million of funding for North Yorkshire from 2022 to 2025.

The Liberal Democrats said it showed the Conservative Party had completely the wrong priorities. The Lib Dems also called on the government to reverse plans to slash troop numbers by 10,000.

Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Harrogate & Knaresborough, Tom Gordon commented:

“The Conservative Party has already done so much damage to people’s living standards and public services in Harrogate & Knaresborough with all their chaos.

“We have missed out time and again on money from central Government, we didnt get a single penny from the Towns Fund or the Levelling Up Fund.

“Now they want to slash funding for local services to pay for their hare-brained plans for a National Service, which are nothing but a desperate distraction from the government’s record of failure on the NHS and economy.

“If the Conservatives were serious about defending Britain’s security, they would reverse their plans to cut the Army by 10,000 troops.”