I responded to an announcement yesterday by Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove that South Yorkshire is expected to get around £13 million of £120 million allocated to seven Mayoral Combined Authorities by saying:

“Any new money is welcome but this grant is peanuts compared with the estimated £900 million regeneration funds that would have come to South Yorkshire through the EU. They promised we would be better off when we took back control of our money but we’re seeing the truth now. I’ve been pressing Ministers to commit they would at least match the money we’ve lost and every time they’ve refused.

“Michael Gove is taking people for fools in describing this as ‘transformational’. It’s a fraction of the money they’ve taken away from South Yorkshire councils over the last twelve years.”

The announcement was also dismissed by Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State Lisa Nandy as ‘recycled money’ to save Boris Johnson’s job.