OXFORD East MP Anneliese Dodds is spearheading a campaign in Parliament to block changes to the bank levy so funds saved can be reinvested in children’s services.

Ms Dodds is one of the four members in Labour’s Shadow Treasury Team calling for the Government to abandon plans in its latest Finance Bill to cut the scope of the bank levy, an annual levy based on banks’ balance sheets that applies to large UK banking groups.

They tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill yesterday calling on the changes to be abandoned.

Ms Dodds said: “While the banking industry is able to lobby MPs, children- and especially the most vulnerable children- can’t speak up and make their voice heard.

“Sadly we’ve seen the impact of this, with the government reducing the banking levy at the same time as children’s services are under massive pressure, not least in Oxfordshire. The Government needs to change course.”