Last night’s Question Time was dominated by concerns over Levelling Up as the show returned to Doncaster.

People in the audience wanted to ask a question on the government policy more than any other topic, according to host Fiona Bruce.

Doncaster residents were eager to find out how the policy to invest in the north would impact their city.

Among the show’s panellists was Cabinet Office Minister, Esther McVey, and Shadow Environment Secretary, Steve Reed.

Ms McVey said: “Millions of pounds have come to Doncaster in the Levelling Up Fund and it’s really important that we do support our businesses.”

However, Mr Reed argued Doncaster has been worse off since the Conservatives took office in 2010.

“This government does not have any interest at all in levelling up this country”

Labour’s Steve Reed says the government has done the “polar opposite” to fulfilling levelling up promises and areas such as Doncaster are now £40m worse off#bbcqt https://t.co/kidTACqqFc pic.twitter.com/1kwFAPlSFM

— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) November 30, 2023

The debate on levelling up in Doncaster came just over a week after the Autumn Statement.

In it, the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, announced £25m of the Levelling Up Fund would be spent on development projects in Moorends and Mexborough.

Also on the panel was editor of The Spectator, Andrew Neil, who spoke of his frustrations with the implementation of the Levelling Up policy.

Speaking directly to the audience, he said: “From what I’ve just heard, you’re not happy and you have every right to be not happy.

“I think levelling up was a wonderful idea. It’s just a pity it was never implemented.”

The government say they are committed to investing £13bn in Levelling Up projects across the country.

At the Conservative Party Conference in October, the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced the northern leg of the HS2 rail project would be scrapped.

He promised to divert £36bn into improving transport in the north and midlands instead, according to the Guardian.

Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Layla Moran, another Question Time panellist, spoke of her dismay at HS2’s northern leg being scrapped.

She said: “I would’ve started [the project] in the north and gone south. You start the investment there; you don’t stop it.”

No Doncaster MP featured on the show, with Don Valley MP, Nick Fletcher, saying on Facebook he applied to be on the Question Time panel but was rejected.