NORTH Shropshire MP Helen Morgan has accused the Government of “pork barrel politics” after fresh Levelling Up funding was handed out to the so-called ‘Red Wall’ at the expense of rural areas.

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, this week announced 16 new grants for Levelling Up funding with almost all of the £211 million of funding going to large towns and cities.

Bids to benefit struggling bus services across Shropshire, and to help regenerate Oswestry, have once again been snubbed by the Government.

Mrs Morgan, the Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Levelling Up, said rural areas were being “starved of support”.

She said: “This is blatant pork barrel politics from a Government that should be ashamed of its rotten approach to Levelling Up.

“It is clear the Government does not care about rural areas like Shropshire.

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“Levelling Up has consistently ignored rural parts of the country despite the crumbling state of our health, transport and public services.

“Families in rural areas up and down the country are fed up of being starved of support while the Government manages to find millions of pounds for larger towns and cities.”

The MP previously highlighted how this week’s budget failed to offer anything for rural areas despite places like north Shropshire having some of the worst GP, ambulance and cancer waits in the country and poor digital and transport infrastructure.

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