Two in three of Michael Gove’s civil servants working on his flagship levelling-up plans are still based in London.
New figures released by the Levelling-up Secretary show that of 3,011 officials, 1,929 of them are still beavering away in the capital.
Shadow Levelling-up Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “We’ve had quite enough of ministers and civil servants sitting in Whitehall picking winners and losers in our nations and regions.
“For the department supposed to set this right to adopt the same arrogant approach is frankly insulting.”
The most civil servants posted outside London are the 129 in Wolverhampton.
Birmingham has 118, Bristol 88, Leeds 75, Manchester 62, and Warrington 53.
A long-promised policy paper on levelling up has been continually delayed and there is still no date fixed for publication.
Mr Gove insists he has wads of cash to spend but Tory MPs in Red Wall seats are frustrated he will not say how or when he will spend it.
And they are worried that tax cuts will get a higher priority than help for their areas.
Mr Gove said earlier this month: “We’ve committed to the public spending required to generate economic growth. We will also in due course cut taxes.”
PM Boris Johnson has promised to invest in forgotten areas to improve local economies and opportunities.
But Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen says the PM must show “visible signs” of action if he wants to hold onto voters.
Mr Houchon added: “This means steel going up to deliver new factories, spades in the ground, and cranes in action as new bridges are built.”
Housing minister Eddie Hughes said: “We now have 32% of our workforce outside of London.”
