BRADFORD Council has been accused of political bias against the people of Shipley during a speech in the House of Commons by the town's MP Philip Davies.

He told Parliament the Labour-run authority was in for favouring deprived people who live in deprived areas over people suffering the same problems in more affluent areas.

And Mr Davies said the upshot was his constituents were not being treated fairly as their homes were not in Labour heartlands.

He said: “There are many areas of high deprivation in the Shipley constituency.

"People who are in need in otherwise affluent areas should be treated as equally as those people who are in need in deprived areas."

In the Commons Mr Davies accused the Council of bias and asked ministers what can be done to "make sure Bradford Council treats all those people equally and does not direct its resources to those people in need in its Labour heartlands".

Mr Davies has repeatedly called for Shipley and Keighley to disband from Bradford Council believing it will give a better deal for his constituents. He fears too much cash is spent on the city centre areas with surrounding areas feeling the brunt of cuts.

Local Government Minister Mark Francois replied by saying: “Any constituents who are in need have a very doughty champion in Mr Davies.

"If he believes the local authority are being deficient in any way he will not be slow in coming forward to tell them so.

“It is true councils and local government has had to take decisions, but it is right that councils spend their money equitably for the residents across their entire area.”

Mr Davies’ question came after his criticism of Bradford Council for removing all funding for Shipley-based community health and wellbeing charity Hale.

The award-winning charity has run for 14 years, but had to apply for a new contract valued at £194,000 in March.

That contract stipulated any work undertaken would have to be outside Shipley in other areas of the district deemed to have higher overall levels of deprivation.

It failed to secure the contract, which was not awarded to any other charity.

Mr Davies has already condemned the removal of two-third's of Hale's funding, which has left the outreach charity at risk of closure by Christmas.

But yesterday responding to Mr Davies' comments in Parliament, Bradford Council leader, Councillor David Green said: "Repetition makes this no more accurate.

"As far as I'm aware Mr Davies hasn't made any inquires of the Council as to the provision of services which people will receive in Shipley compared to those they were receiving through Hale.

"Mr Davies will have a received a letter sent to every MP inviting them to discuss any issues of concern at any time and he has not responded to that offer, an offer which is genuinely on the table.

"As I say, merely repeating his view is just repeating inaccuracies regarding the provision of services in Shipley and across the district."