Debates between Kelly Tolhurst and Lisa Nandy during the 2019-2024 Parliament

Wed 8th Jun 2022

Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill

Debate between Kelly Tolhurst and Lisa Nandy
2nd reading
Wednesday 8th June 2022

(2 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 View all Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 Debates Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lisa Nandy Portrait Lisa Nandy
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Out of deference to you, Madam Deputy Speaker, of course I will rephrase my words in a manner that is far more acceptable to you: this looks awfully dodgy to me, Secretary of State. Was this signed off by him or his Department? I would certainly never disrespect the Chair by reading from my phone, so I will not do it now, but the words are there on the website of the hon. Member for Isle of Wight, and if anybody cares to look at them, they can draw their own conclusions.

I say to the Secretary of State that this matters at a time when councils and our communities around the country have had £15 billion stripped out of them by the Government. That is not what respect looks like. [Interruption.] Written into every part of the Bill is a lack of respect, and every single hon. Member who sits there chuntering and heckling, rather than standing up for their own communities, needs to look in the mirror and ask themselves whether they are doing a good job for their communities.

Kelly Tolhurst Portrait Kelly Tolhurst
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I take exception to what the hon. Lady said. How dare she suggest that Government Members are not standing up for their communities when we are quite obviously aggrieved with the allegation that she has just made against a fellow colleague? So yes, we do have a right to chunter at her comments.

Lisa Nandy Portrait Lisa Nandy
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The hon. Member absolutely has a right to challenge me on my comments, and so have her constituents. They might want to know why Kent has had £276.8 million taken from its budget by the Government over the past decade.

Kelly Tolhurst Portrait Kelly Tolhurst
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Will the hon. Lady give way?

Lisa Nandy Portrait Lisa Nandy
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No, I will not give way—[Interruption.]