IT will come as no surprise that up to ten times more money is spent on transport in London than in parts of northern England.

Nearly £2,000 per head each year will be spent on road and rail projects in the capital over the next five years, compared with £190 in Yorkshire and the Humber, a gap that experts say is damaging the region’s economies. Also researchers at the IPPR North think tank said that almost £2 billion more was being spent on Crossrail, the new underground line in London, than on every northern transport project combined.

All of that expenditure does not take into account the projected billions to be spent on HS2; which in spite of not receiving royal ascent, is ploughing on spending our money for something that will be outdated before it is built and bring no economic benefit to anywhere other than the capital and the south-east regions.

If we had a more proportionate spending plan for the North in road and railways we would outperform the south and generate our own revival for a fraction of the money spent.

When will we get our voice and drown out the “Metro Elite” and their political lap dogs to build a country for all, not just the south-east?

We have bent over for Scotland now it is time for the North to be considered.

Chris Gallacher, Ukip Redcar