Most deprived parts of Yorkshire miss out on levelling up funding while wealthier areas prosper

Six bids were all rejected in Leeds, despite Leeds East, Leeds Central and Leeds West being the 14th, 18th and 33rd most deprived in the country, according to House of Commons Library data.

But Catterick, in the Prime Minister’s constituency of Richmond received, £19 million to regenerate the high street, despite the area being the 450th most deprived - meaning only 83 areas are more affluent.

Hull, which has the 20th, 25th, and 31st, most-deprived constituencies also missed out entirely.

Meanwhile four funding bids in Bradford all missed out on funding, including a £50 million proposal to transform Odsal Stadium into the largest permanently-covered stadium in the country.

The House of Commons Library data shows Bradford has the 11th, 15th and 29th most-deprived constituencies in England.

A wide range of factors are considered in the analysis of deprivation, including income, employment opportunities, crime and housing.

The Government’s levelling-up secretary Michael Gove insisted the fact London and the South East received more than three times as much as Yorkshire and the Humber was fair.

When it was put to him that more than twice as many Tory constituencies would benefit compared to those represented by Labour MPs, he said: “I think more of the money is going to Labour-led local authorities than to Conservative-led local authorities and that’s because the money’s been allocated according to a set of objective criteria and on the basis of deliverability.”

Rishi Sunak also rejected accusations the allocation was skewed towards relatively affluent areas.

He said: “If you look at the overall funding in the levelling-up funds that we’ve done, about two-thirds of all that funding has gone to the most deprived part of our country.”

But Labour MPs across the country were unanimously angry at what they see as the iniquitous and politically-motivated funding distribution.

Richard Burgon, who represents Leeds East, said: “Zero pounds for Leeds, while up the road in the Prime Minister's wealthy rural constituency, there’s £19 million for him.

“Isn't it the case that what this is really about isn't levelling up? What this is about is Tory favouritism and the Tories looking after their own. Leeds deserves far better."

Karl Turner, Labour MP for Kingston Upon Hull East, said: “It is outrageous that the government has not awarded Hull any of the levelling up fund, proving once and for all that ‘levelling up’ has never been anything more than a slogan.

“After neglecting East Hull for a decade, the government promised its levelling up plans would provide much-needed funding into communities like ours.

“It’s time the Government came clean and admitted that they never cared about places like Hull.

“The Tories granting £19 million for Sunak’s wealthy rural constituency is another kick in the teeth for East Hull from a government that’s stripped £131 million out of our communities, which has decimated vital local services like childcare, buses and social care in some of our most deprived wards in East Hull.”

Labour MP for Sheffield South East Clive Betts told the Commons: “Why don’t we stop the pretence this has anything really to do with levelling up whatsoever?

“It’s one of around 300 pots of money that councils have to spend a lot of time bidding for, there’s no real strategy at all. No join-up between the different bits. They look more like photo opportunities for ministers to go around the country announcing the successful results.”

Mr Betts asked the minister why she did not listen to his committee, adding: “We called for dropping this bidding process for the most part and instead getting Government departments to look how they can reposition the totality of their spending on a strategic basis to help the poorest parts of the country.”

Communities minister Lucy Frazer replied: “I am very sorry the honourable gentleman has not been successful, there is of course a round three. There is co-ordinated action across Government to ensure that we do support and level up.”

Asked if the money has gone to the most deprived areas, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “Each bid is assessed by officials, there’s a transparent process.

“The way we do that is set out very clearly online so anyone can go and see it.

“This is the right process and a number of different areas benefit.”

The official added: “We don’t use deprivation as the sole arbiter of decision-making. We need to think about an array of different issues.”