Northumberland County’s Labour Group think it is a bit rich for Blyth Valley MP Ian Levy to take credit for a scheme which they began working on three years ago.

Leader Susan Dungworth said: “It’s ironic that the Tories are happy to blame the previous administration for everything they believed had gone wrong, but they’re more than happy to take the credit for a scheme which had nothing to do with them.

“It’s an absolute insult to see the Blyth Valley MP pictures on the front of the News Post Leader standing in Blyth’s Bowes Street looking like the development had all been his idea.

“Three years ago Councillor Bob Parker fought for this development and it was progressed through Blyth Town Council to the County Council.

“It was Blyth’s Town Forum which applied for the funding originally. As Ian Levy is now the MP, the funding has been released to him and it seems he is happy to take the credit for the project and the considerable amount of work that went into getting it, without even acknowledging that the idea was not his and he did very little to secure the successful bid.

“It would be pleasing if the Blyth Valley MP did the right thing, acknowledged that the project was not his to claim credit for and pay tribute to Blyth Town councillorsand the very many people who worked hard to get this scheme off the ground.”