A Greater Manchester Tory MP has been accused of "losing the plot" by a neighbouring Labour politician over his 'Lexit' campaign to separate the town of Leigh from the borough of Wigan. Wigan MP Lisa Nandy said the Government should be trying to tackle rising inflation rather than "trying to build walls between Wigan and Leigh" as part of the plan put forward by Leigh MP James Grundy.
Mr Grundy, who was elected in 2019, has sought the support Prime Minister Boris Johnson in his campaign. Leigh has been part of the Wigan borough since the local government reorganisation in 1974, but grumblings about the town losing its identity to its larger neighbour since then have never gone away.
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions last November, Boris Johnson promised to do 'anything he can' to help his Conservative colleague's bid to 'escape' the control of Wigan following Mr Grundy’s question as to what could be done. The Leigh MP has been in discussion with Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove over 'Lexit' and has stated that the talks were positive - but an an early stage.
