Sunny Bank Mills Farsley: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak quizzed over mass transit and economy on visit to Leeds

His visit to Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley came after yesterday’s autumn budget, in which the government set out plans to cut national insurance and boost pensions.

Mr Sunak was asked about plans for a mass transit system in the region, as well as how he would support economic growth in Leeds.

He told the Yorkshire Evening Post that he was a “big backer” of the city and that its businesses could expect to see cuts to their rates in the next year.

Traders at the historic mill complex spoke to Mr Sunak about the creative industry – and the Prime Minister even got hands-on with jewellery-making at one of the workshops of a Leeds business owner.

The YEP asked Mr Sunak about his plans to boost the city’s economy. He said: “What is happening in Leeds is really exciting. When I was Chancellor, my first ever visit after the first budget was to Leeds. You can see the incredible growth here, whether that is in the financial services or the creative industries.

“We are big backers of Leeds. You can see that in the investment that has gone into transport infrastructure, for example. Delivering on mass transit is critical to Leeds’ future growth. It is the biggest city in Europe that does not have mass transit.