Southwark Liberal Democrats respond to Labour's Spring Statement

Reacting to the Spring Statement and “unprecedented” welfare cuts, the Southwark Liberal Democrats have asked “what is the point of the Labour Party?”

This comes a week after Southwark's Council Assembly, where the Labour group voted to endorse the 2 child benefit cap, and the Labour leader refused to lobby against cuts to in-work disability benefits. 

Cllr Rachel Bentley, Liberal Democrat Deputy Group Leader said:

"This Spring Statement proves that despite all the talk of “change”, Labour are no different when it comes to the crunch.

The Chancellor claimed there’s “nothing progressive and nothing Labour” about making working people bear the brunt of cuts — yet that’s exactly what this Government is doing.

By slashing support for the most vulnerable, Labour are not helping people back into work — they’re pushing them further into hardship, with massive knock-on effects for families and communities. It’s ordinary people in Southwark and across the country who will pay the price — not the big banks, the social media giants or the online gambling companies, who continue to rake in billions.

Labour say they want to do things differently. But when given the chance, they’ve chosen to wield the axe just like the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats have shown that there is another way — but Labour refuse to take it.

Here in Southwark, I’m deeply worried about residents being plunged into poverty by these reckless decisions. I'm left to ask: what is the point of the Labour Party?"

Cllr Victor Chamberlain, Liberal Democrat Group Leader added:

"Local councils are already at breaking point, and this Spring Statement offers nothing to fix the crisis in local government funding. There’s no long-term plan to help us deliver the services people rely on — from social care to clean streets and safe neighbourhoods.

In Southwark, we’ve seen this failure firsthand. Labour still won’t fund the Bakerloo Line Extension and continue to block the reforms we need to unlock serious housebuilding.

They talk up new funding for housing, but let’s be honest — it won’t even touch the sides. 18,000 homes nationally is less than ninety in Southwark — a drop in the ocean when we have 19,000 households on our council house waiting list right now.

The reality is clear: whether it’s Westminster or Tooley Street, Labour are letting us down."