“North Yorkshire Can’t Keep Missing Out”: Local MP Responds to Spending Review
Tom Gordon, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has criticised this week’s Government spending review as “a missed opportunity” for North Yorkshire. The review was unveiled in the House of Commons by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Tom Gordon expressed his deep disappointment that North Yorkshire was mentioned only once in the entire review and only as part of a generic funding pot to be shared across the country. No specific investment or projects in the region were named.
“It can’t go on like this,” said Tom Gordon. “Time and time again, North Yorkshire misses out on its fair share of funding - and this review is no exception. Our area is brimming with potential, from long-overdue upgrades like dualling the Knaresborough to York rail line, to much-needed investment in infrastructure and services. Yet there’s nothing here for us. We supposedly have a mayor who’s meant to fight for our region, but there’s little evidence of that in this week’s announcement.”
Tom Gordon also raised concerns over the continued neglect of the social care sector - an omission he describes as critical.
“There’s no mention of social care at all,” he said. “The NHS is struggling, but the social care sector is in full-blown crisis. Without proper support, hospitals can’t discharge patients into the community, creating bottlenecks across the system. The Liberal Democrats have been calling for action on this for years, but the Government still isn’t listening.”
He further questioned the lack of clarity over RAAC removal funding for hospitals. Although money was announced for the removal of the unsafe concrete, there was no detail on which hospitals will benefit.
“Harrogate Hospital needs £15 million to remove the last of the RAAC in its buildings,” the MP noted. “Some funding was previously secured, but it was administered through NHS England - which has now been dissolved. There’s no confirmation that the remaining money will be delivered.”
In a further statement, Tom Gordon said:
“This Spending Review was a real chance to improve public services and grow the economy - but Labour have squandered it. They talk a lot about growth, but they haven’t reversed the employer National Insurance hike, which is damaging for small businesses - the very backbone of our economy.
“Much of the transport funding is simply recycled from previous Conservative announcements. People were hoping for change, but they won’t find it in this document.
“Most concerning of all is the complete failure to address the social care crisis. Unless we properly fund social care, the NHS will never be able to function as it should. Patients are stuck in hospitals because there’s nowhere for them to go.
“And here in Harrogate and Knaresborough, we’re still waiting for answers. We don’t know whether our hospital will get the funding it needs, and there’s no other major investment for the area. It’s becoming increasingly clear that this Government, just like the last, doesn’t care about communities like ours.”
ENDS