Oral Answers to Questions

Adam Thompson Excerpts

Wednesday 30th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

It is always a pleasure. I congratulate the right hon. Gentleman on the campaign; it is really important and many people will be delighted to join it. Dame Vera is sewn into our nation’s soul as providing the soundtrack for our greatest generation. It is particularly timely, so I will support the campaign that he has done so much to promote.

[Adam Thompson (Erewash) (Lab)]

Q14.  Whether it is crevasse on the island outside Asda in Long Eaton or the array of tyre poppers on Quarry Hill Road in Ilkeston, every day my inbox is filled with complaints about potholes that Conservative-led Derbyshire county council has failed to fix. Given that the Government have poured £1.6 billion of extra funding into road repairs and that the Derbyshire county council elections are tomorrow, does the Prime Minister agree with me that it is high time that Erewash and wider Derbyshire got themselves a Labour council that will actually repair the roads?

[The Prime Minister]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Conservative Derbyshire county council is home to more potholes than anywhere else in the country and drivers are paying the price. Our plan for change has committed enough funding to fix 7 million extra potholes this year. For the first time, councils like Derbyshire must publish how many potholes they have actually repaired in order to get the cash. The Conservative party left Britain’s roads crumbling—we are fixing them.