Doncaster MPs criticise Budget for 'lack of investment' in the borough

In a joint statement, both Ed Miliband and Rosie Winterton said they were ‘disappointed’ in the ‘lack of investment in Doncaster’ and bemoaned no mention of a pay rise for key public sector workers.

Doncaster and South Yorkshire were also snubbed in its bid for a freeport. An economic tax-incentive zone backed by councils, cross-party MPs and big business such as Doncaster Sheffield Airport, McLaren and Forgemasters.

Doncaster was mentioned just once in the Budget document around the £5.2bn flood defence scheme in England which was already unveiled some months earlier.

Sheffield City Region ‘intra-city transport settlements’ were mentioned in the document in which South Yorkshire will receive a slice of £4.2bn in funding which could be used for the renewal of Supertram and the expansion of tram-train. But again, this was announced in the October 2020 Budget.

Commenting on the Chancellor’s address, both Miliband and Winterton said: “We are disappointed by the lack of investment in Doncaster in this Budget.

“For young people looking for work, for public sector workers looking at a pay freeze, for Doncaster, which wants to lead in the green revolution of the future, this Budget offers precious little.

“There was little in this Budget for our manufacturers, and with billions cut from public spending in the future we fear that we are not going to get the investment the Government promised.

“This was not a Budget that properly addressed the deep inequalities faced by people in Yorkshire. It was not the Budget we needed today.”