Northern mayors mock government's tweet as funds go to London

Northern mayors have mocked the government for a tweet announcing £235m of transport funding under the "Network North" logo - for roads in London.

The slogan was dreamed up by Whitehall as the branding for how some £36bn would be spent after the northern leg of HS2 was controversially axed.

But Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the concept seemed to include "everywhere except the north".

Scrapping the north high speed link caused a backlash earlier this year.

The tweet, which highlighted only money being diverted to the capital, has been widely mocked.

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracey Brabin said: "I know the north isn't a priority for this government but seriously."

Liberal Demoract Tim Farron, the MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, joked that it was "great to see the rural northern village of London finally getting the levelling up funding it deserves".

Yasmin Qureshi, MP for Bolton South East, said she had to check the diversion of funds to London roads "wasn't a parody".

Presenter Carol Vorderman said "can someone send them a map", while the Labour MP for Denton and Reddish Andrew Gwynne said to "badge this as a Network North project is extracting the urine in a big way".

The Department for Transport declined to comment on the tweet but said the funding would allow millions of road users in London to enjoy "smoother and safer journeys".

A spokesman said it was "only possible due to £8.3 billion of extra investment from redirected HS2 funding".

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