LABOUR blasted Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick today after he pledged less money to domestic abuse services than the £200 million expected to be forked out for the PM’s royal yacht.

Mr Jenrick insisted that the £125m the government has pledged for refuges was a “very significant amount of extra funding.” 

He told Sky News that the sum is enough to “fully fund” services, despite women’s charities claiming it falls woefully short.

Labour’s shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding Jess Phillips said that the figure throws the government’s priorities into question. 

She said that the government is spending just £125 million for tens of thousands of abused women and children but £283m for a boat that not even the Queen wants, referring to PM Boris Johnson’s planned flagship to replace the Royal Yacht Britannia. 

“The government’s priorities are pretty clear,” she said.

The Communities Secretary made the comments in response to questions over his support for Thank You Day.

Mr Jenrick had encouraged local communities to “show their gratitude” to key workers supporting domestic abuse survivors by holding barbecues, street parties and picnics. 

But Sky News’s Trevor Phillips questioned whether a better way to say thank you would be to properly fund refuges. 

Mr Jenrick insisted that the government has done this by passing its “landmark” Domestic Abuse legislation “to ensure women get the support they need in safe and secure accommodation such as refuges.

“We fully funded that major commitment with £125m,” he said.

Challenging the minister, Mr Phillips cited a report from Women’s Aid which warned that the amount falls short of the £173.8m needed to fund refuges alone.

The charity estimates that £398m is required each year to fully fund domestic abuse services.