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Rachel Reeves told her solution to UK bank closures is ‘woefully inadequate’

Rachel Reeves has been told that her plan to mitigate against UK bank branch closures is “woefully inadequate”. Banking hubs, shared spaces funded by high street banks and operated by Post Office staff, have been set up across the country to make up for the loss of in person services. They are usually open Monday to Friday and occasionally receive a visit from a representative from one of the banks.

But it has been highlighted that these alternatives, which the Chancellor has shown support for, usually only facilitate basic transactions, as many have neither printers nor ATMs. The Telegraph reports that approximately 16,000 UK bank branches have shut since the 1980s, but only 156 hubs have been opened. Martin Quinn, campaign director of Campaign for Cash, thinks the hubs were in theory a good idea, but the target to establish 350 is “woefully inadequate”.

Rachel Reeves applauds from seated position

👇 Don’t stop — the key part is below 👇

The Chancellor has been criticised for her stance on banking hubs (Image: Getty)

People walk past Lloyds Bank In Shrewsbury

Bank branches have been closing across the UK (Image: Getty)

He said: “If we’ve lost nearly 6,300 [bank branches] in the last decade, how the hell is 350 going to plug the gap? This is really a drop in the ocean. If the banking industry were really serious they would be rolling out 10 a week.”

The expert added that politicians are “patting each other on the back”, but the approach is currently only a “sticking plaster”. Mr Quinns believes the policy needs to be “turbo-charged”.

Ms Reeves and then Treasury Minister Tulip Siddiq opened the 100th banking hub in Darwen, Lancashire, in December.

The Chancellor said at the time: “Reaching this milestone of 100 banking hubs is a huge step towards making sure that people across the country have access to essential face-to-face banking services.

“High streets are the beating heart of our communities but were neglected for too long under the previous government.

“We are revitalising our high streets with our target for 350 banking hubs, reforming business rates to make them fairer and clamping down on antisocial behaviour.”

Caroline Abrahams, CBE, Age UK Charity Director, told the Express in March: “Age UK is calling for the protection of physical banking services for those who do not, or cannot bank online, and for the accelerated roll-out of shared Banking Hubs in areas where bank branches are fast withering away.

“We applaud the banks for coming together to set up shared Hubs, but it’s important that alternative services are set up speedily, especially in those areas with the greatest need.

“Physical spaces – whether a bank or building society branch, Banking Hub, or alternative suitable provision – must continue to exist so people can still carry out face-to-face tasks such as withdrawing and depositing cash, applying for a loan, arranging third party access to their account or starting bereavement proceedings.”

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Nigel Farage’s new migrants plan is genius and should have Keir Starmer crying like a baby

Let’s face it: most people don’t see local councils as the most thrilling of things. In fact, most see them as sluggish, administrative quagmires, struggling to get even the simplest of tasks over the line – from filling potholes to bin collections.

So perhaps that’s why there’ll be many who gave a shrug of the shoulders when they heard that Nigel Farage’s party, Reform, has taken over 10 local authorities. However, anyone with an ounce of political nous knows this was no accident – and that Farage’s laser focus on the local elections was an absolute masterstroke that could be the game-changer that propels Reform to victory at the next General Election.

Nigel Farage now has a huge opportunity to make change across the UK says Mieka Smiles

Nigel Farage has a huge opportunity to make changes across the UK, says Mieka Smiles (Image: Getty)

Contrary to popular belief, true political power isn’t just held in Westminster. Local authorities wield vast influence. They manage multi-million-pound budgets, oversee huge workforces and make decisions that directly affect people’s daily lives. As a councillor myself in Middlesbrough, I’ve known MPs who say they envy the powers held by directly elected mayors and council leaders. And Farage now has an absolutely perfect platform – in fact 10 of them – to really show what his party is all about.

Nigel Farage's Victory Lap Of England As Reform Wins Big In Local Elections

Nigel Farage’s Reform now controls an impressive 10 local authorities (Image: Getty)

I think, so far, his commonsense council checklist is great – from finally getting council officers back into the office through to axing silly DEI roles. But by far Nigel and Reform’s biggest opportunity here is to use local councils in the battle to sort out migration.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that perhaps this kind of issue can only be solved by the PM and his pals – if they had the desire to do so. What’s less well known, however, is the role that local councils play in the area.

My hometown of Middlesbrough has always had some of the highest numbers of asylum seekers in the country. This is no accident – it’s because the Labour-run council has always accepted them. Yes, the Home Office is responsible for housing asylum seekers – and the key reason so many are housed in Middlesbrough is because it’s where some of the cheapest houses in the country are located.

But while councils can’t prevent this process from taking place, they can absolutely make things as difficult as possible – and stop rolling out the red carpet – as each local authority then has the responsibility of “settling” asylum seekers. If Reform councils push back on this in their new council areas, it’ll ignite a national conversation and a thousand headlines.

Farge has already made a start with a fiery post-election success in Durham. He said migrants were being “dumped into the north of England, [and] getting everything for free”. He added: ‘It is unfair, it is irresponsible, it is wrong in every way and I don’t believe Starmer has got the guts to deal with it.”

Say what you want about Farage – but I know firsthand that what he’s saying is absolutely true.

Declare a national emergency!' Nigel Farage blasts Keir Starmer as fiery  migrant row erupts at PMQs

In Middlesbrough the deluge has led to huge pressure on local services – whether that be in schools – some with pupils speaking up to 40 languages – to getting yourself a GP appointment, which are like gold dust.

That’s not to mention the unsettled societies it leads to: no sooner has a family moved into an area, than they move on. This leads to less pride in communities, which has an impact in all kinds of ways.

So, although the next General Election feels as though it’s a lifetime away, if Nigel provides even some mild relief for locals in the council areas he now controls, it will gain him huge and widespread support. And trust me: on this he’ll already be 10 steps ahead.

 

 

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