BANKRUPT Birmingham, which was the UK local authority worst-hit by the Covid and is a sprawling, densely populated conurbation, has been left to sink by Westminster.

As local authority funding has been slashed year on year, Birmingham is the worst but not the only example of a local authority battling to keep essential services going.

READ MORE: Absurdity of UK's ‘mother of all parliaments’ has never been clearer

Birmingham is just 129 miles from Westminster but Westminster doesn’t care.

I was active in politics in Newcastle in the 80s and 90s and saw first-hand how little central government cared about the north of England. Newcastle is 295 miles from Westminster.

With Glasgow being 414 miles from Westminster and Edinburgh 416, is anyone in Scotland mad enough to think Westminster cares about anyone or anything north of the Border other than when a General Election is due?

For your government to care, it must he HERE not THERE.

It’s that simple.

Amanda Baker
Edinburgh