For the past fourteen years, Labour councillors, party members and supporters in Cornwall have criticised Conservative austerity, rightly arguing that it creates a spiral of decline. But after winning an enormous majority in Parliament, it seems that the new Labour government is now determined to give us yet more austerity.

On July 16, Cornwall councillors voted unanimously for my motion calling on the Conservative leader of the council to work with Cornwall’s six new MPs and the new government to ensure that Cornwall Council receives at least the national average per-person funding for public services.

Four weeks later, it appears that the council leader hasn’t even told our MPs about the motion, let alone coordinated any call for funding from the government.

It’s important to recognise the two components of our funding crisis: First of all, the public sector across the whole country is desperately underfunded, and secondly, Cornwall gets less than its fair share of this inadequate pot.

Worryingly, the mood music coming from the Labour government is for yet more cuts. Despite Labour’s election message of “change”, chancellor Rachel Reeves pledged to stick to the “fiscal rules” created by the Conservatives. So whilst the country desperately needs long-term 10 to 20 year funding commitments to tackle climate change, reduce energy bills, build affordable housing, clean up our water system and improve the nation’s health, our political leaders are committed to writing “plans” for public spending to be cut after three years, even though the fourth year never arrives.

For over a decade, this led the last Conservative government to spend ever more on sticking-plaster solutions whilst failing to fund the long-term changes we desperately needed. If Labour ties itself to that same millstone, we will never get our heads back above water.

I recently spoke with two of Cornwall Council's most senior officers who were both in total despair about the organisation's finances. Not only is there no sign of any new funding for core services; it is also apparent that Cornwall's economic development funding (cut from £100-million to £44-million per year by the Conservatives after Brexit) is going to be cut to zero by the Labour government!

This makes it all the more important for Cornwall to fight for our fair share of the public-funding pie.

There is a glimmer of hope: Cornwall's six MPs recently met one another for the first time. The Lib Dems are encouraging our Labour MPs to stand up to the chancellor; calling on her to think again about her fiscal rules and to ensure that Cornwall gets its fair share of funding.

Time will tell whether our Labour MPs dare to speak up and whether the chancellor pays any attention.

Colin Martin

Liberal Democrat Cornwall councillor for Lostwithiel and Lanreath