The Labour government is complicating council operations, impacting local services and budgets, leaving communities in a tough spot.
Glasgow: It’s a tough time for councils, especially with rising costs and the pressure to meet community needs. Inflation is hitting hard, and it feels like the Labour government is making things worse. They’ve increased National Insurance Contributions, which means Glasgow is already down £30 million before even starting to balance the budget.
People are worried. The First Minister and local charities are urging Labour leaders to step up and help fund these increases, but so far, it’s been crickets from the top. With the budget deadline looming, it’s looking like a serious cut to the services that folks in Glasgow rely on.
This isn’t what Labour promised during the election. Instead of a fresh start, it feels like a slap in the face to the most vulnerable in our communities. The cuts will hit hard, especially for those who need support the most. And with Scotland facing a massive £700 million bill from the National Insurance hike, where are the Labour MPs who said they’d stand up for us? They seem to be toeing the party line instead.
It’s frustrating to see local leaders like Anas Sarwar not making enough noise about this. They have a duty to speak up for Glasgow and demand the funding we need. If they don’t, they’ll have to explain to the people why they’re not doing their jobs.
We’ve seen what happens when councils can’t balance their budgets. Just look at Birmingham and Nottingham. It’s a slippery slope to losing vital services. The UK Labour Government needs to step in and provide the necessary funding for Glasgow’s public services, and they need to do it fast.
