THE government’s plans to inject £1.6 billion into poorer Leave-voting towns and cities “smacks of desperation” with Theresa May eager to get her Brexit deal through Parliament, Labour has said.

About £1bn of the fund is set to be distributed in areas that suffer from disproportionately high levels of poverty and unemployment in England through a means-tested formula, while communities can make specific bids for the additional £600 million.

It is expected that more than half of the money – a “ desperate bribe,” according to shadow chancellor John McDonnell – will be distributed to towns in the north and the Midlands.