Farron welcomes EU flood grant

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed the news that the European Parliament will tomorrow (Wednesday) approve the grant to the UK to repair damage caused by the floods in 2015.

Tim personally lobbied the European Parliament to make this grant in a visit to Brussels last year. Tonight, he has called for the money to be distributed to areas like Cumbria as soon as possible by the UK Government.

Tim said, "The Government dragged their feet in making this application - only sending it in at the very last minute. Had they applied sooner, we might have been able to get bridges like the one in Staveley opened much faster.

"Now the grant has been approved, the Government need to use it on the ground in places like Cumbria, rather than offsetting it against money they have already spent, as they have threatened.

"Just last month the Government refused a £25 million bid for extra flood resilience for infrastructure here in Cumbria. Now they have an opportunity to put that right."