Government has no new ideas on empowerment - Goldsworthy

Last week, Hazel Blears made a nod towards localism, by outlining plans to give people the right to trigger action on local issues.

Liberal Democrat Shadow Communities and Local Government Secretary, Julia Goldsworthy said:

"This is a real example of ‘do as I say not do as I do’ from the Government. There is nothing here to suggest that we will cease to be the most centralised state in Europe.

"Many councils are already forging ahead in empowering communities and today’s proposals are not new ideas.

"Liberal Democrat councils in Birmingham and Eastleigh already hand over budgets and decisions to local areas. Liberal Democrat councillors in Kingston introduced a right to petition some time ago.

"If ministers want to have any credibility in community empowerment they need to stop centralisation and hand control of decisions and finance back to local areas."