Leicestershire County Councillor Craig Smith has called on new Labour MP Amanda Hack to 'fight' for the Ivanhoe Line.

The planned, restored rail route from Coalville to Derby through Ashby - with future plans to extend to Leicester - had been making strong progress through the various Government stages.

But Monday's speech to the House of Commons on Monday saw the Restoring Your Railway Fund axed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as part of a wide-ranging set of 'difficult decisions'.

The resulting threat to the Ivanhoe Line scheme - which is now all but cancelled due to lack of funding' has angered many in the area.

It was a project that had the backing of local businesses in the area - as well as the new Labour MP.

Cllr Smith, the Conservative candidate for North West Leicestershire at the election, has been critical of what he sees as a broken promise after Labour took charge in Westminster.

He said: "I call upon Mrs Hack to fight her Government's decisions as she promised during the election campaign - 'I will always put the people of NWL first' she promised. 

The former Ashby railway station along the Ivanhoe Line. Photo: Ashby Nub News

"Well here is your chance Mrs Hack, fight them, fight them for the people desperate for better public transport, fight for our pensioners who have worked all their lives and are now getting essentials like winter warmth taken away from them."

Cllr Smith, who represents Coalville North, also believes the district will not be well supported by a Labour government.

He added: "Rural areas like North West Leicestershire have never been a priority for the Labour Party. 

"The reality is, they never expected to win here until just a few weeks before the election. 

"Pulling the Restoring our Railways funding, and effectively cancelling the Ivanhoe Line, is just the beginning of policy changes that will harm our area. 

"We can expect money to be re-directed to urban councils and more housebuilding projects soon. 

"North West Leicestershire will remain low on Labour's priority list, especially with a new MP who lives 20 miles away and has no plans to move here."

Cllr Smith also responded to Coalville Labour councillor Terri Eynon's social media post saying there was never any real budget behind Conservative promises to re-open the line.

She said: "That was why they didn't sign the project off in January 2024. Nor again in May. The back-of-the-sofa had run out of cash."

But Cllr Smith responded: "It was interesting to see Cllr Enyon's Facebook post earlier.

"She omits to say that CRIL received significant funding for the first time under the previous government to develop the project. 

"All this progress is now lost with Labour's decision to scrap the line. She went on to say that the Tories 'had failed to join with neighbouring cities and counties leaving Leicestershire without the financial clout a regional mayor can bring'. 

"The fact we don't have a Leicestershire mayor is due to one reason and one reason only, the Labour mayor of Leicester refusing to join and support a functioning economic area. 

"If Mrs Hack is truly committed to her new constituents, she should be calling for Sir Peter Soulsby to join the level 3 deal proposed by the county council.

"The Chancellor claims they were given a hospital pass, but Labour made their spending commitments fully aware of their financial constraints. 

"It's disingenuous for the Labour Chancellor to pretend otherwise and hope the public forgets their promises. 

"The shadow chancellor thoroughly dismantled her defence, scrutinising it line by line.

"It's highly likely the new government will implement a wealth tax, so we can expect increases in capital gains and inheritance taxes in October. 

"But it is pensioners I feel most sorry for with the announcement that the Labour Government have removed the winter fuel allowance for all pensioners except those getting pension credit. What about those pensioners living on less than the minimum wage?"

Amanda Hack has been approached for comment.