Jack Abbott

Jack Abbott

Labour (Co-op) — Ipswich

Speaking in the House of Commons on 21 January 2026

Debate

Local Government Reorganisation: Referendums

Contribution

I think there is a short-term memory issue here. The hon. Gentleman talks about referendums, but the Conservative Government held a whole heap on mayoralties in 2012 and then ignored all the outcomes. He says he values local government, which is incredibly welcome, but his party hollowed out local government funding, and we have seen the cost of that. When the Conservatives were in power, they suspended a number of elections to consider local government reorganisation, including those involving the Leader of the Opposition—why has there suddenly been this volte-face in the last few weeks?

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