State of the cities report highlights Labour's failings - Teather

7.26.31pm GMT Wed 8th Mar 2006

Liberal Democrat Local Government spokesperson, Sarah Teather MP

Commenting on the State of the Cities report, Liberal Democrat Local Government spokesperson, Sarah Teather MP, said "Many of the report's recommendations are blindingly obvious, and have been on the regeneration agenda for a decade. But for all today's rhetoric, the Government simply isn't delivering.

"We need to reform VAT to tackle the blight of empty homes, and we need to relocalise business rates, something Labour promised to consider in their 1997 manifesto.

"Labour's eight years in Government have tightened Whitehall's grip on our cities. There are more rules, regulations, inspections and financial controls on local councils than ever before."

On elected mayors, Sarah Teather MP added "Mayors may help to offer leadership, but they are neither the whole solution nor the only solution.

"Labour's headline-grabbing focus on mayors clouds the issue, and allows them to get away with taking power away from local government, instead of devolving it."