Yvette's Budget Blockade Will She Crack Before the Review?

Yvette Cooper Yet to Agree Deal Days Before Spending Review

With the highly anticipated Spending Review just days away, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper remains the sole cabinet minister yet to finalize a budget agreement with the Treasury. This impasse raises concerns about potential implications for police funding and broader Home Office priorities. As Housing Secretary Angela Rayner reached a deal with Reeves and the Treasury on Sunday evening, the pressure mounts on Cooper to secure a favorable settlement before Wednesday.

The heart of the issue revolves around the allocation of funds to the Home Office for the period up to 2029. Ministers have been engaged in intense negotiations with Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her team, aiming to secure adequate resources for their respective departments' day-to-day spending and crucial investments.

Despite an offer from the Treasury to provide above-inflation increases to police funding for each of the next three years, Yvette Cooper has not yet reached an agreement. This has led to speculation and differing perspectives within the government.

Here's a breakdown of the key points:

• Deadline Looms: The Spending Review is scheduled for Wednesday, intensifying the urgency for a resolution.
• Police Funding at Stake: The Home Office argues that the current spending proposals would make it impossible to maintain police numbers at the required level to deliver on key policy commitments, particularly in neighbourhood policing.
• Treasury's Position: A Treasury source indicated that the offer of real-terms increases in police spending was made even before public lobbying from police chiefs.

An ally of Cooper's defended her approach, stating that she adhered to the Treasury's negotiation timetable and that a "first up, best dressed" approach shouldn't be the deciding factor. However, some within the government suggest that an earlier agreement could have resulted in a more advantageous deal, citing the Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood's success in securing additional funding for prisons.

The current standoff increases the possibility of the Treasury "imposing" a settlement on the Home Office before Wednesday. This could potentially leave the Home Office with less funding than desired and impact their ability to meet critical objectives.
Sir Mark Rowley, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and other police chiefs have been actively advocating for increased funding in recent weeks.

The situation is further complicated by warnings from police representatives about the dire state of the police service. Nick Smart, President of the Police Superintendents' Association, and Tiff Lynch, acting national chairman for the Police Federation of England and Wales, jointly stated that police morale has been "crushed" and that forces are being forced to cut officer numbers due to budget constraints.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has urged the police to "do their bit" towards reforming public services, highlighting the Chancellor's challenge in balancing funding requests from all departments.

The upcoming Spending Review is expected to prioritize the NHS, with reports indicating increased funding for the Department of Health. However, this would likely come at the expense of other government departments, as the Chancellor aims to meet fiscal rules, including not borrowing to fund day-to-day spending and reducing debt as a share of national income by 2029/30.

Other key announcements expected in the Spending Review include:

1. £24m for artificial intelligence lessons in schools.
2. £86bn for science and technology to fund drug treatments and longer-lasting batteries.
3. £15.6bn for extensions to trams, trains, and buses in Greater Manchester, the Midlands, and the North East.

Furthermore, the government remains committed to increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2034, with an interim target of 2.5% by 2027 funded by cuts to the overseas aid budget.

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticized the government's spending priorities, arguing that they prioritize other areas over policing. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has called for the Chancellor to rule out cuts to social care.

As the Spending Review approaches, the unresolved situation between Yvette Cooper and the Treasury underscores the tough choices and competing priorities facing the government. The outcome of these negotiations will have significant implications for the Home Office and its ability to address critical issues related to policing and national security. Securing a sustainable and well-funded Home Office is crucial for ensuring the safety and well-being of communities across the nation, and a swift resolution to this budget impasse is of paramount importance.

Tags: Spending Review, Yvette Cooper, Angela Rayner, Budget Deal, Treasury, Police Funding, Rachel Reeves, Home Secretary, UK Politics, Cabinet Minister

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c861n7vljdgo