News from The Labour Party

“Tories to wipe out support for local groups across the country” – Byrne

Liam Byrne MP, Labour’s Cabinet Office Minister, has challenged David Cameron to come clean on the Tories’ plan for £100m of cuts at the worst possible time to Government support for almost 5,000 charities and voluntary groups.

New Labour Party research has pin-pointed local charities across England that have benefited from the Cabinet Office’s £130 million Grassroots Grants programme that is threatened by Tory cuts – including the Horsham Debt Advice Service in Francis Maude’s own constituency.

Liam Byrne said:

“The Conservatives are determined to make cuts of £100 million from the Cabinet Office budget at the worst possible time. These cuts would have a devastating effect on the third sector and those who rely on their help in the middle of a recession.

“David Cameron claimed he wanted to ‘roll forward society’ and help charities. Yet his savage cuts would wipe out the good work charities do for Britain.”

Liam Byrne went on to say:

“Up and down the country, small, local charities depend on the help they get from Government to carry on providing vital services to their communities. Sometimes it’s related to the recession, like the Horsham Debt Advice Service in Francis Maude’s own constituency, which received £5000. Or it might be a sports centre or village hall, which plays a vital role in people’s lives.

“In these testing economic times, just a few hundred pounds can make all the difference to a small charity. But the Tories’ proposed cuts would put grants like these at risk – and it’s people and communities who would suffer.

“Labour is committed to supporting charities in the work they do to bring communities together, and to help people get through the global economic downturn. The Conservatives’ cuts would take us in the wrong direction at the wrong time.”

Other news from The Labour Party

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• "We need what you might call 'one nation banking'" - 3 February 2012
• Burnham: "Mental health must move from the edges to the centre of the NHS" - 31 January 2012