'Angela Rayner has never visited her Wolverhampton office,' say city Tories

The party has criticised Mrs Rayner, who heads the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, after it was disclosed she had not visited her department's building at the city's i9 building since taking office last year.

Councillor Simon Bennett, leader of the opposition Conservative group on Wolverhampton Council, said that despite the Government's promise to 'level up' areas outside London, the Labour leadership had not only removed the 'Levelling Up'  label from the department’s name, but was now removing its presence from the regions it claimed to support.

However, a spokeswoman for the department said local government minister Jim McMahon had visited the building.

Councillor Bennett made the comments after a written answer was submitted regarding how often Mrs Rayner had visited the Wolverhampton, office.

He said ministers in the previous Conservative government had frequently visited the site and engaged directly with local leaders to deliver regeneration and investment – including the £20 million secured for the Green Innovation Corridor, after former Wolverhampton North East MP Jane Stevenson organised a ministerial site visit with then Levelling-up Secretary Michael Gove.

Councillor Bennett also called for more departmental jobs to be brought to Wolverhampton and the regions, to increase employment and opportunities where they were most needed

He said: “Conservative ministers have consistently made the effort to come to Wolverhampton, we’ve had secretaries of state and junior ministers here regularly, walking the streets, visiting projects, and listening to local people.

"It’s time Labour ministers started taking our towns and cities outside the M25 more seriously. They started by scrapping the 'Levelling Up' name from the department – and now they’re following through by ignoring the regions altogether.

"If Angela Rayner wants to represent communities like ours, she needs to show up.

“But beyond that, we want to see the department create even more jobs and provide more employment opportunities for local people.

A spokeswoman for Mrs Rayner said: “The Deputy Prime Minister is firmly committed to regional growth in Wolverhampton, and the i9 office was visited by local government minister Jim McMahon within the government’s first week in office.  

“We are determined to reduce regional inequalities and have already invested £20m in Bilston through our Plan for Neighbourhoods to kickstart local growth and drive-up living standards.”