MP calls for government to invest in the 'left behind' town

An East Lancashire MP has called for the government to invest in the ‘left behind’ towns in his Rossendale and Darwen constituency.

Labour backbencher Andy MacNae convened a special debate on ‘Rebalancing Regional Economies’ in Parliament’s second Westminster Hall chamber.

He told Junior Local Government minister Alex Norris: “This government have rightly prioritised growth, devolution and the need for growth to be seen in all regions and nations.

“Brilliant stuff—but what does it actually mean to the people of Rossendale and Darwen, Blackpool, Winsford, Macclesfield, or Cornwall? Clearly not much yet, given the kicking we got in the local elections.

“To mean something to Rossendale and Darwen, and to places like it, growth must translate into real and tangible change in every neighbourhood.

“It must mean good jobs and accessible opportunities for young people where they live. It must mean that our towns feel clean and safe, and that people have the houses they need.

“It must mean that our small and medium-sized businesses thrive and put more money in people’s pockets. It must mean that our roads, buses and rail systems actually connect to where people need to go.

“What worries me is that, when it comes to actual decision making, too often the investment planning defaults to big cities and existing growth areas, with the role of small towns seemingly reduced to just feeding people into the great city machine.

“We cannot continue to justify government investment flowing into the likes of Manchester while the towns of Lancashire do not even appear in the picture.

“For too long, geography has meant destiny.

“Small towns such as Bacup, Whitworth, Rawtenstall and Darwen have been at the back of the queue and left behind, as others shout louder and seemingly offer easier solutions.

“We must change the game. Our new default must be to put our left-behind neighbourhoods first.

“We simply cannot afford to fail those communities that need us most.”

Junior Local Government minister Alex Norris said: “The devolution steps taken by previous governments were good ones, but it could go much further, so we have made a commitment to a deeper devolution settlement—more powers across housing, planning, transport, energy, skills, employment support and more, so that locally those tools are there to shape place and to shape the economic future.

“I am delighted to say that Lancashire is soon to be part of this.”