Writing in the Yorkshire Post, Chris Grayling said: “the success of Northern transport depends on the North itself.”

It comes after the government dropped pledges to electrify rail routes in Wales, the Midlands and the North, while supporting the £30 billion Crossrail 2 scheme for London.

This is a betrayal of the North and all the areas across the country being neglected under this Conservative government.

The government is trying to dodge responsibility after breaking its promises to upgrade regional rail links.

Chris Grayling may be a South East MP but as Transport Secretary he has a responsibility to look beyond the capital.

The rest of the country deserves better. The government needs to act now to stop the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ becoming a byword for failure.