Stockport MP Lisa Smart has emphasised the importance of the upcoming local elections, stating that the outcome will have a significant impact not only on Stockport but across the country. She noted that politics is undergoing major changes and stressed the need for councils that genuinely care about their areas and are willing to work hard to improve them.
Funding Disparity
Smart raised two critical issues in Parliament aimed at making local government more effective. The first concerns funding. Stockport includes the most deprived area in Greater Manchester, yet the government's funding settlement leaves the borough £52 million a year worse off than the average for equivalent authorities. Three out of every four pounds spent in Stockport goes on adult and children's care, but the government has delayed addressing the social care crisis. Smart raised this with the minister last week, who failed to provide a satisfactory answer or address the funding disparity.
Council Achievement vs. Funding Reality
Stockport is the current Local Authority of the Year, an award from the Municipal Journal. Smart expressed pride in the work of her colleagues but acknowledged that not everything is perfect. Trying to balance a budget with such funding shortfalls inevitably leads to cuts in vital services. Until the government properly addresses social care funding and creates a genuinely fair system, well-run places like Stockport will still face cuts, leaving residents questioning their council tax.
Democracy Reform
The second issue is democracy. Smart has been responding to the Labour Government's Representation of the People Bill. While it includes genuine improvements, it does not go far enough. She argued that every vote should count every time, but the refusal to adopt proportional representation—because first-past-the-post has historically benefited Labour and the Conservatives—means the system remains unchanged, locking out representatives who receive majority support. Additionally, she highlighted the failure to prevent unfair overseas influence, such as bitcoin billionaires from the Bahamas funneling money into parties. Until steps are taken to stop figures like Nathan Gill, the Reform leader in Wales who accepted Russian state money for propaganda, public confidence in democracy will remain low.
Call to Action
Smart believes that people will vote for candidates who fight for their community, are local champions, and truly care about making Stockport better for everyone. She pledged to continue pushing the government to protect local government and national democracy, ensuring that votes make a real difference and councils get a fair chance to improve their areas.
