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THE East of England has been left out in the cold in the latest round of successful bids to the Regional Growth Fund (RGF), according to Euro-MP Richard Howitt.
The Labour member hit out after it was announced that just two out of 34 requests for aid from the £1.4bn cashpot had been accepted, the worst result in the country.
Earlier this year, the region was again at the back of the pack with just one success from 34 attempts.
Over the two rounds, nationally 169 projects have been successful, with just three from the Eastern region - E2V Chelmsford, Lotus in Norfolk and Luton Borough Council - winning access to funds. By contrast, the North East saw 14 approved for the cash in the first round and 49 announced this week.
Mr Howitt said: "This is the latest in a long line of kicks in the teeth for our region.
"This Conservative Government axed our Eastern Regional Development Agency and now we’re left with no-one batting for business in our region and we’re losing out.
"We are consistently losing out on cash for jobs and growth, and local businesses are being left to dangle in the wind.
"The RGF should be renamed the Regional Going-without Fund as here in the East of England we’re seeing nothing but empty promises."
