"Clearly I am extremely disappointed that the Levelling Up Fund bid for Bingley has been unsuccessful. However, my disappointment turned to anger when I was told the reason for its failure was the inadequacy of the bid document submitted by Bradford Council.
"Each bid went for civil service assessment to see if it was sufficiently good to be put to a Minister. I am afraid the bid for Bingley never even reached the Ministers because it was deemed not good enough for consideration.
"I am absolutely livid. Either Bradford Council is utterly incompetent or it is simply seeking to play politics to sabotage the chances of a constituency with a Conservative MP getting the investment it needs.
"Bradford Council didn't initially want Bingley to be the levelling up fund bid - I had to insist on it because the subject of the bid had to have the support of the local MP in the rules - and we know that Bradford Council has not wanted to save the swimming pool in Bingley, and so perhaps I should have anticipated them submitting a half-hearted bid, but it has still been shocking to find out.
"Government ministers have told me this morning that there will be another round of funding and the Bingley bid can be re-submitted. It has offered to make civil servants available to Bradford Council to help them improve the bid. Ministers know from my lobbying how important the pool is to the local community.
"I very much hope that Bradford Council fully engages with the civil servants and submit a bid document that will ensure this vital scheme for Bingley can go ahead. Given how much capital expenditure Bradford Council pours into the centre of Bradford, it is bad enough that we have to go cap in hand to the government to cover for the Council's neglect of Bingley, the least Bradford Council can do is to ensure a competent bid is submitted"