SELRAP Newsletter Interactive 4pm 20th feb 2026 - Flipbook - Page 19
MIND THE GAP
MP Speaks Out
Green Book Opportunity
“The Skipton–Colne link
would bring new jobs,
investment and growth
to communi琀椀es that have
been le昀琀 behind for too
long.”
Oliver Ryan MP, Burnley, Padiham & Brier昀椀eld,
November 2025.
It is widely recognised that HM
Treasury’s Green Book, priori琀椀sing
taxpayer-funded investment for major
infrastructure projects, has unfairly
favoured the South for decades.
Andy MacNae MP (Rossendale &
Darwen) has repeatedly highlighted
the Green Book’s southern bias to the
chancellor in Parliament (see above).
On 25 February 2025, the then deputy
prime minister, Angela Rayner MP, told
the Conven琀椀on of the North in Preston:
“I share the chancellor’s determina琀椀on
to review the Green Book, to properly
recognise the poten琀椀al of places across
the country.”
Redressing this imbalance would further
strengthen the business case for the
Skipton-Colne Line.
Worsening Poverty
The latest na琀椀onwide Indices of
Mul琀椀ple Depriva琀椀on were published in
October 2025. Measuring employment,
educa琀椀on, health, and crime, these
make par琀椀cularly grim reading for the
North.
Blackpool remains the country’s mostdeprived town, followed by Burnley in
fourth place. Compared to 昀椀ve years
ago, Pendle experienced the sharpest
economic decline of any borough in
the UK. Blackburn and Hyndburn also
declined, markedly, since 2019.
These truly awful 昀椀gures underscore the
urgent need to reinstate the SkiptonColne Line, which would kickstart
economic growth.
Charging Bias
Council tax bills highlight an unfair NorthSouth divide.
For example, in 2025/26 the average
band D levy is £2,465 in Burnley, but only
£1,017 in Westminster.
Despite this disparity, na琀椀onal taxpayers
are funding all improvements to
London’s public transport, such as
the recent £800m upgrade to Bank
Underground Sta琀椀on (right).
Bank Underground Sta琀椀on (istock)
Mind the gap annoucements started at Bank
Underground sta琀椀on in 1968.
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