{"id":338,"date":"2023-01-19T15:40:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T15:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/levelling-up-rishi-sunak-defends-giving-money-to-richer-south-east-england\/"},"modified":"2023-01-19T15:40:00","modified_gmt":"2023-01-19T15:40:00","slug":"levelling-up-rishi-sunak-defends-giving-money-to-richer-south-east-england","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/260web.com\/news\/levelling-up-rishi-sunak-defends-giving-money-to-richer-south-east-england\/","title":{"rendered":"Levelling up: Rishi Sunak defends giving money to richer south-east England"},"content":{"rendered":"

Levelling up: Rishi Sunak defends giving money to richer south-east England<\/p>\n

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By Kate Whannel<\/div>\n
Political reporter, BBC News<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Rishi Sunak has defended the latest allocation of levelling up money which saw the richer south-east of England region get more than the north-east. <\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The prime minister said the north had received the most amount of cash in terms of funding per person. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The government has also argued that parts of the south are deprived and need investment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Labour claimed north-east England was “one of the big losers” from a funding model it says is unfair.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A total of 111 areas across the UK have been awarded money from the second round of the government’s Levelling Up Fund. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Eden Project in Morecambe, Lancashire, will get \u00a350m to help regenerate a derelict site on the seafront into an eco-tourism attraction. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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There will also be a \u00a350m grant to build a new direct train service linking Cornwall’s largest urban areas. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But London boroughs will get more than both Yorkshire and the north-east of England.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Mr Sunak is touring the north of England, starting in Accrington, in Lancashire, which is getting \u00a320m to improve its town square, to promote the policy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    He said: “Two thirds of all the levelling up funding is going to the most deprived parts of our country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    “Levelling up is about making sure people feel pride in the places they call home – it’s about driving jobs and investment.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    He also defended the \u00a319m awarded to his own constituency of Richmond, in North Yorkshire, arguing the money would benefit armed forces personnel based in Catterick Garrison. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Asked during an event in Morecambe if the distribution of funding was politically motivated, Mr Sunak replied that “around half” of the funds had gone to non-Conservative areas. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The London Borough of Camden – where Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has his constituency – will receive \u00a37m for cycling and walking infrastructure and local GP services. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Labour has argued the money does not make up for past cuts made by Conservative governments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy said: “It takes an extraordinary arrogance to expect us to be grateful for a partial refund on the money they have stripped out of our communities.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    She criticised the funding model and said her party would end the “competitive-style bidding” process, but would not cancel projects that had already been given the green light. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    The idea of “levelling up” – or reducing regional inequality – was a key part of Boris Johnson’s 2019 election campaign. Its aim was to close the gap between rich and poor parts of the country by improving services such as education, broadband and transport.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Other projects set to get funding include: <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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