AN MP has slammed the government for a fall in Bolton Council funding.

Yasmin Qureshi was speaking in a debate on local government funding in the House of Commons yesterday where MPs discussed future proposals and plans to remove deprivation as a factor to influence funding.

She cited cuts to adult and children's services and the increasing complexity of people's needs as serious strains on the council.

The Bolton South East representative went on to argue that the Conservative Party's policies of austerity left a lasting impact on the town.

She said: "My local council, Bolton, has lost about £l billion in spending power since austerity began in 2010.

"That has impacted on social care, with adult and child services taking the biggest hit, despite being the areas with the highest demand.

"As many [MPs] have said, we have an ageing population and therefore the impact on the social care budget is getting bigger.

"More and more children are being taken into care, meaning that the amount of money required is increasing."

The shadow justice secretary also said that the government's policies - coupled with a continual focus on Brexit - had left local authorities "on the ropes" and struggling to cope with the services they need to offer.

She added: "Until and unless funding is properly resolved, those problems will continue, and councils and people who live in certain towns—especially in the north—will suffer."