Questions over Pride in Place Funding

Conservatives have called for Bridget Phillipson MP to clarify the claim that she “secured” £20m of Pride in Place funding for Plains Farm.

Despite the Education Secretary stating in November 2025 that she had campaigned “for months” to persuade government to award the new funding to Plains Farm, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed that it has received no official correspondence from Phillipson mentioning Plains Farm and Pride in Place.

An FOI request response confirmed that MHCLG had not been contacted by Phillipson, or a representative speaking on her behalf, by either letter or email.

In addition, Hansard has confirmed that Phillipson has not mentioned Plains Farm in the House of Commons in her 15 years as an MP for the estate.

Cllr Antony Mullen, Leader of Sunderland Conservatives and a councillor for Plains Farm, said:

“There is no evidence to support Bridget Phillipson’s claim to have run a months-long campaign to secure this funding.

“It is necessary now, following this disclosure by MHCLG, for the Education Secretary to clarify what form this campaign took and to evidence her statements which present her - in unambiguous terms - as having not only secured this money, but having fought for it for months before the confirmation of the grant recipients.”