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Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP clashes with Chief Secretary to the Treasury over economic policy

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Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Patrick Spencer has called for tax cuts during an exchange in Parliament with Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones. The debate centered on government borrowing costs and economic growth.

Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Patrick Spencer in the House of Commons
Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Patrick Spencer has called for tax cuts in a House of Commons debate on public financesUK Parliament

The big picture: The exchange reflects differing views on the government's current economic approach:

  • Spencer claimed borrowing costs are rising, business confidence is falling and "growth is going nowhere"

  • He labelled current policies a "lefty economic experiment" and called for cuts to both taxes and spending

  • Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, strongly rejected these characterisations

  • He argued fiscal responsibility is "what the British people expect" rather than an ideological position

The response: Jones criticised the Conservative Party's past economic management, pointing to what he called their "historic defeat" at the previous election due to losing "all control and all sense when it came to public finances."

The context: The debate took place during a session on public finances and borrowing costs in the House of Commons on 9 January.

The bottom line: The debate highlighted contrasting positions between the Conservative Spencer's call for immediate tax cuts and the Labour Treasury's defence of its current economic policies.

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An award-winning local law firm

Rated as "Excellent" on Review Solicitors with an impressive 4.8/5 on Feefo.

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County council plans 200 new SEND places as demand grows by 40% in five years

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Suffolk County Council's cabinet will review proposals for 200 new specialist education places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Why it matters: Over the last five years, the number of Suffolk pupils accessing special schools and units attached to mainstream schools has increased by over 40%, creating a demand for specialist provision that the council has been unable to meet.

Young female teacher working with a Down syndrome schoolboy sitting at desk using a tablet computer and stylus in a primary school classroom
Suffolk County Council's cabinet will review proposals for 200 new specialist education places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)Getty Images

The details: The £18.6 million plan includes:

  • 100 places potentially opening this year

  • Another 100 new places by September 2026

  • £3 million for small groups and units in mainstream schools from September 2025

  • £12 million for developing satellite units linked to existing special schools from September 2026

  • £3.6 million earmarked for further SEND provision

What they're saying: "We know the importance of making sure that children are in the right provision for their needs at the right time. We haven't always got this right, and keeping up with the ask for new places is challenging and costly, but we continue to revisit our plans and redirect resources when needed," said Andrew Reid, cabinet member for education and SEND at Suffolk County Council.

For context: In the past five years, 1,025 new specialist SEND places across Suffolk have been agreed.

What's next: These plans will be discussed at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 1 April, at 14:00. A Joint SEND Sufficiency Plan is also being developed to establish how future Department for Education SEND capital money should be spent.

The bottom line: The council is responding to significant growth in demand for specialist education by proposing targeted investment across the county, with headteachers reportedly supportive of opening specialist units linked to mainstream schools.

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Rated as "Excellent" on Review Solicitors with an impressive 4.8/5 on Feefo.

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