Burnley is on the up, says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after visiting Worsthorne and the Crooked Billet pub

PM Rishi Sunak visited Worsthorne last fortnight as part of a tour of the North West, knocking on doors and meeting residents, staff and Conservative councillors and members at the Crooked Billet pub.

He spoke about efforts to improve the town and give people more opportunities.

Mr Sunak said: "There is so much happening in Burnley, and I’m pleased I could get up to campaign with Antony, who is a brilliant local MP and who time after time manages to get more investment out of me and the Chancellor. And with local elections just a few weeks away, it was good to meet Burnley Conservatives and the brilliant candidates they have standing right across Burnley. I'd encourage all residents to lend them their vote.”

He was joined by Burnley MP Antony Higginbotham and ward councillor Cosima Towneley, as he knocked on doors of residents ahead of the local elections next month.

Here is everything you need to know about the PM’s visit:

What does ‘levelling up’ actually look like for people in Burnley, according to the PM?

Burnley has received £32m. from the Levelling Up Fund to: transform Newtown Mill, Manchester Road Station, and Town 2 Turf; create the new Pioneer Place leisure development; invest in Burnley College and Burnley Hospital.

How is the Government helping Burnley people with the cost of living?

The PM discussed current cost of living support, saying the Government is doing everything possible to drive down inflation and the price of energy.

The windfall tax targets the excess profits of oil and gas companies brought about by the war in Ukraine, and latest figures indicate inflation has now passed its peak.

What did Worsthorne residents say about the PM’s visit?

Mark, a Worsthorne resident, who received one of the Prime Minister's door knocks, said: “It's not something you expect when you answer the door, to see the Prime Minister there, but it was clear that he was interested in what I was saying, and wanted to know more about the issues I raised with him. There's no quick fix for the issues our country faces, but he's the best person for the job in my opinion."

What did Burnley’s MP Antony Higginbotham say about the visit?

MP Higginbotham said: “This is the second Prime Ministerial visit we’ve had since I got elected, with the first being to the centre of Burnley to the college. Then we showcased our incredible skills in engineering and construction and made the case for further expanding our educational offering.

"So welcoming Rishi, where we could show off some of our rural areas, too, was brilliant.

“Knocking on doors it was also clear that the PM’s pledges – on inflation, growth, debt, the NHS and immigration – are exactly what the public want us to focus on.

“I’ve already extended another invite to Rishi to come back and see us when he next can, as we have so much to show. And, of course, having the Prime Minister or any Cabinet Minister here is a unique opportunity for me to talk about how we can continue to drive forward change in our area, on home turf.”