Theresa May responds to the Yorkshire Post's open letter

Mrs May responded within hours of The Yorkshire Post publishing its call for action, and she recognised there is still work to be done to put the region on an even footing with other parts of the country.

The Yorkshire Post’s front page letter, printed in yesterday’s edition, urged Mrs May and her team to commit to remedying six key issues affecting the region. They include poor school standards and uncertainty for farmers after Brexit.

She said: “This Government’s commitment to Yorkshire is unflinching. As I said on my first day in Downing Street, the United Kingdom is a precious union, not just between our nations and regions but between all of our citizens - whoever we are and wherever we’re from.”

Mrs May’s first trip after becoming Prime Minister was to Scotland to meet with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and she then spent much of last week touring Europe and Ireland. As she tries to dampen fears over how Britain’s departure affects the EU, she also has a positive message for those closer to home.

She said: “A huge amount has been achieved in developing Yorkshire’s economy since 2010 but there is more to do. As we forge our future outside the EU, this is a new chapter for Yorkshire and for the UK. We should see it as a positive opportunity to build a region and a country that truly works, not just for a privileged few, but for everybody.”