Reorganising Cumbria’s councils in middle of pandemic is ‘crackers’, MP tells minister

In Parliament this afternoon, South Lakes MP Tim Farron told ministers that plans to reorganise Cumbria's councils in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic are "crackers" and "out of touch".

Tim also warned that large scale reorganisation would be a major distraction for those in charge of looking after education, social care and economic recovery in Cumbria.

Speaking during a debate in Westminster Hall, Tim said: "Even if you thought there was some wisdom in changing the balance of local government in Cumbria, how crackers, how out of touch would you have to be to think that now is the moment to do it.

"So I would say to the minister do not distract our social care home managers, our carers, our teachers, those people caring for the homeless, those people leading the economic recovery, do not divert them from their vital task by a pointless act of navel contemplation - a top down reorganisation."

Responding, the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government Luke Hall said: "He has passionate views about local government reform and the timings of it.

"Of course, he will absolutely be able to make that argument through the process in the right way, and I know he feels extremely strongly about that matter."