Cornwall 'will get EU funding in full' claims MP Steve Double

MP Steve Double said Cornwall Council had a "pessimistic" view of what funding would be offered to the region

Cornwall will get its EU funding replaced in full, according to comments made by the cabinet office minister.

MP for St Austell and Newquay, Steve Double, questioned Michael Gove over fears the county would be "significantly worse off" after Brexit.

Mr Gove said that Cornwall would receive "the funding that it needs", the Local Democracy Service reports.

Mr Double said it "shot down" claims the region would be left short.

Cornwall councillor Tim Dwelly said Boris Johnson had "broken his promise" after telling voters that Cornwall would receive the same investment it got from the EU post-Brexit.

Mr Dwelly said it was unlikely that the region would receive the £100m a year needed, and could see as little as £1.8m instead.

Mr Double said the council had tried to "deliberately misinterpret" the government's planned funding.

'Damaging statements'

Mr Gove told the House of Commons that shared, national funding would "at least match the EU receipts on average, which reached around £1.5 billion a year".

He said: "We will publish a UK-wide framework in the spring, which will set out full details, and to help local areas prepare for the introduction of the Shared Prosperity Fund , we are providing the additional £220 million that my honourable friend referred to.

"Of course, we will work closely with Cornwall to ensure that it gets the funding that it needs and for which he is such an effective advocate."

Following that exchange Mr Double said he hoped local councillors would retract their "damaging statements".

However, Mr Dwelly said there was "no pledge" from Mr Gove for the required £100m.

"Far from 'shooting down' our concerns, Steve Double MP appears to have shot himself in the foot", he said.