THE Labour party supports funding pledged by the Conservative government to Barrow to help the town thrive with the roll-out of the new AUKUS submarine programme.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the party backs the £20 million a year pledged for the town announced by Rishi Sunak in March.

The Prime Minister said the creation of a Barrow Transformation Fund includes the government committing an immediate £20 million and a further minimum of £20 million a year over the next 10 years.

When asked whether the Labour Party would provide the funding if it is elected into government, Sir Keir said: “Yes absolutely, it’s very important.

“It’s come up time and again this morning, the vital tying together of the future secure jobs and work here in the yard, with the secure future that we want for Barrow.

“We’re fully supportive of this and we would see our role in government, if we’re privileged enough to come in, to roll up our sleeves and put our shoulders at the wheel to support that work.”

The initial projects planned to begin in Barrow as part of the transformation fund were announced in March and include a £5m Social Impact Fund to provide grants to local organisations and charities.

A £5m Barrow Work and Health fund to help tackle economic inactivity and improve health outcomes as well as £10.59m for the completion of the A595 Grizebeck Bypass upgrade scheme were also previously announced.

Shadow defence secretary John Healey added: “If the Barrow shipyard is going to flourish in the future, then Barrow and the wider area must flourish as well.

“And tribute to the cabinet secretary Simon Case, he has led a lot of this work in setting up Team Barrow and the plans for the delivery board.

“We met with Simon Case before the announcement, we made clear that this announcement would have our Labour support.”

The Barrow Transformation Fund will be managed by the Barrow Delivery Board in collaboration with local leaders, who will allocate funding to areas of greatest need, the government previously said.

Describing how the Barrow Delivery Board will aim to regenerate the town, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps previously said: “This aims to ensure that it is the kind of attractive place to live and work that will sustain the skilled workforce required in the decades to come.

“The initial commitment will be for a Barrow transformation fund, a 10-year endowment-style funding settlement of £20 million a year over the next decade, providing the multi-year certainty and stability needed to support and regenerate the town.”

MP for Barrow and Furness Simon Fell previously labelled the announcement of the Barrow Transformation Fund as a ‘staggering investment in Furness’ future’.