The Northern Echo reports that various stakeholders in the North of England have raised concerns that despite the Chancellor’s Budget statement last Wednesday, there was still a 'huge hole' in the Government's levelling up plans

Issues were raised on rural transport, the uncertainty surrounding HS2 and Northern Powerhouse rail exacerbating the north-south divide, the cost-of-living crisis in the North East which will not be mitigated, tax hikes on working class people despite tax cuts for numerous industries and most pertinently an unfair distribution of the Levelling Up fund itself seeing more affluent areas being awarded funding.

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The Northern Echo - Budget 2021: Still a 'huge hole' in levelling up plans