£1BN LIFELINE FOR DERELICT HIGH STREETS

Rishi Sunak's levelling-up boost for forgotten towns

- David Williamson

BRITAIN'S neglected high streets can look forward to a new lease of life thanks to a £1.1billion cash boost.

Rishi Sunak last night named 55 "rundown" towns chosen to benefit from his levelling-up windfall.

Reviving these communities, many in "Red Wall" seats, is key to the PM's chances of winning the general election expected next autumn.

He sees this investment as vital in transforming towns plagued by yobs and a lack of opportunity. By dealing with eyesore empty shops and improving transport into high streets, he wants to kickstart growth and bring prosperity back to these former industrial centres.

The Prime Minister says successive governments have focused on cities, vowing: "That changes today." The towns will each receive £20million during the next decade to tackle priorities set by their communities.

The launch of the "long-term plan for towns" comes as Conservatives gather in Manchester for what may be the last party conference before the next election.

Worryingly for the Prime Minister, exclusive polling shows half of Britons think the North-South divide has got worse in the past five years and only one in 20 thinks it has improved.

Town boards will be set up to drive the regeneration of "left behind" communities, bringing together community leaders, employers, local authorities and the local MP.