Levelling Up: 'Fantastic' and 'con trick' - Sheffield politicians react to government's big announcement

City council leader Coun Terry Fox said: “This is promising news and shows government has recognised our ambitions and all of the great work that is already being carried out here.”

Coun Mazher Iqbal, executive member for regeneration, welcomed a ‘first step’ in ‘government departments pooling resources, listening to and supporting our ambitions, coordinating investment and helping us to deliver real regeneration in Sheffield’.

And Miriam Cates, Conservative MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, said the Levelling Up White Paper was a ‘fantastic blueprint’ for rebalancing the economy and ensuring everyone had the chance to succeed.

But Sheffield South East MP Clive Betts said it fell woefully short of what was needed and had ‘no new powers or funds for local authorities’.

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He added: “It’s ridiculous, the Conservatives have systemically cut funding to the most deprived areas since 2010, now we are expected to believe they want to ‘level up’ the same areas. Sheffield City Council alone has seen a £430m reduction in its budget since 2011. The Government hasn’t even provided the funding to make up for those cuts.”

Sheffield Central MP Paul Blomfield branded the plans ‘a con trick’.

He said: “In real terms, £3 billion has been stolen from Sheffield City Council through cuts made by Conservative Governments since 2010 – and today they’re giving us a paltry £13 million back via the city region. It’s just dishonest.”

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