Chancellor Rishi Sunak accused of not knowing 'his geography' after he appears to confuse northern areas

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak visits a stand at the Bury Market (PA)

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been accused of not knowing “his geography too well” after he appeared to mix up two towns in the North West, and it was alleged that money he had promised was going to a Yorkshire Labour constituency was actually going to a Conservative neighbour.

The Richmond MP visited Bury market on Thursday following the Budget announcements the day before, however, in an interview with broadcasters he referred to himself as being at “the world famous Burnley market”.

Burney, in Lancashire, is 20 miles north of Bury in Greater Manchester.

Mr Sunak, answering a question about the Government’s so-called levelling up agenda, said: “It is not just about being in the North by the way – we’re here in Burnley but if you are growing up in a village in the South West or even on the south coast, people want to feel opportunity is there for them, wherever they happen to be.”

He added that the Government’s so-called levelling up fund was providing £20 million of investment in “world famous Burnley market” – money that will in fact be going to Bury market.

Later in the day, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves then said that money Mr Sunak had said was going to her Leeds West constituency was actually going to the neighbouring Pudsey, which is held by a Tory MP.

Speaking to ITV on Thursday afternoon, Ms Reeves said: "If he wants to invest £20m in Leeds West I would welcome it, but that £20m goes to a Tory constituency, not to my constituency, so I'm not exactly sure what the Chancellor wants me to welcome."

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"Perhaps for Christmas somebody should buy him an A - Z or a constituency map so that he can work out where he is in the country," she added.

Ms Reeves labelled herself as a "proud" Leeds MP and went on: "I’m not saying I know every constituency in the North inside out but I know when I’m in Bury and when I’m in Burnley and I know when I’m in Leeds West and when I’m in Pudsey.

"The Chancellor, I don’t think he knows his geography too well."