BEVERLEY- Graham Stuart has launched a stinging attack on Rachel Reeves following Labour’s government spending review, accusing the Chancellor of maxing out the national credit card while leaving rural areas like Beverley and Holderness out in the cold.
The Beverley MP branded Reeves the “Buy Now, Pay Later Chancellor” after what he described as a flashy but deeply unfair funding package that hands billions to urban projects while slashing support for the countryside. He claims the review pours money into big-city housing and Net Zero schemes, yet offers precious little to the rural economy.
“This spending review shows exactly where Labour’s priorities lie,” he said. “It’s big cheques for big cities while towns like ours get less and less.”
Graham says the countryside is being asked to foot the bill, pointing to cuts in agricultural support, increased costs for family farms, and higher taxes on local hospitality businesses. He also highlighted Reeves’s initial refusal to commit to winter fuel payments for pensioners, only reversing her stance after public pressure and a petition led by Graham attracted over a thousand signatures in Beverley and Withernsea.
The MP warned that rural communities are already struggling with rising unemployment and inflation, and accused Reeves of leaving places like East Yorkshire worse off. “This spending review shows exactly where Labour’s priorities lie,” he said. “It’s big cheques for big cities while towns like ours get less and less.”
What’s in the Spending Review
Reeves’s first major financial statement includes a multi-billion pound push on housing, with funds directed towards urban brownfield developments and large-scale social housing projects. A significant investment package for green industries and Net Zero infrastructure dominated headlines, with electric vehicle supply chains and urban clean energy hubs among the big winners.
Meanwhile, transport funding sees a shift toward metropolitan transit upgrades, particularly in Labour-held cities, while rural road improvements and bus routes face a real-terms squeeze. The review also introduced a shake-up of business rates relief, cutting discounts for small hospitality firms while maintaining higher thresholds for major operators.
Critically, Reeves is doubling down on fiscal discipline, aiming to reduce borrowing long-term — a move Graham argues comes at the direct expense of rural Britain.
With the Chancellor’s plans now under fire, Graham is making it clear: Beverley won’t sit quietly while Westminster forgets the countryside.