● I’M starting to feel sorry for our local MP, Jake Berry.

He’s been the northern powerhouse minister for a good while now, but increasingly it feels as though there’s precious little support for the North among his ministerial colleagues.

We continue to get less funding for our council services than other parts of the country, and police, fire, NHS and school leaders make the same point too.

But it’s the problems on the railways which have brought into sharp focus the government’s less-then-generous attitude to the North.

The government’s handling of the Northern Rail crisis has been shocking, and not surprisingly, people have looked to the Northern Powerhouse minister to ask what’s going to be done. The answer sadly, for train commuters and for Mr Berry, is precious little.

Problems have blighted Northern Rail for two years, yet there’s no threat from Government to rescind their franchise. Yet the operator running services in the South has had such a threat, after similar problems.

Now there’s talk the Government won’t deliver on its promise of full electrification of the railways between Leeds and Manchester, the sort of project the Northern Powerhouse is supposedly built upon.

Given the chance to dismiss these rumours, the government failed to do so. Commentators believe not supporting such a project in full will mark the death of the Northern Powerhouse.

I’m sure the government would dismiss such talk. But actions speak louder then words.

And, as this column has pointed out before, the Northern Powerhouse seems to focus on improving big cities, with the promise of some sort of spin off benefits for areas like Rossendale.

If it can’t even confirm its full support for flagship projects, what hope is there for real support for areas like Rossendale?