ALL three of Oldham's MPs sent a scathing letter to the Conservative Party's 'levelling up' minister Michael Gove at the end of last week.

The Labour Party's Angela Rayner, Debbie Abrahams and Jim McMahon all put their name to the letter, which is dated Friday, October 8.

In it, the MPs for Ashton, Oldham East and Saddleworth and Oldham West and Royton criticise the Conservatives' record on tackling the borough's inequalities since coming to power in coalition with the Liberal Democrats in 2010.

It is a response to Gove's comments during the party conference, when he used Oldham as an example of an area struggling with issues related to crime, education and the economy.

The letter starts: "We welcome the Conservative Government’s interest in Oldham and, in particular, the structural inequalities that have plagued our borough over many years, but especially since 2010.

"Over the past 11 years we have been consistently raising inequality issues with you and your ministerial colleagues.

"For us, levelling up is not just about tackling geographical inequalities, but socio-economic inequalities, and the inequalities that face groups with protected characteristics as well.

"For us, levelling up is about ensuring that public policy, especially at a national level, considers the impacts of these inequalities as they are being developed and especially before they are implemented.

"For us, levelling up is woven into all policies, and is not a casual add-on to various pet projects."

The letter then goes on to highlight issues and what the Conservative Government has or has not done to tackle them.

These include life expectancy, which has flatlined in Oldham since 2010, as well as the 'low skill, low paid' economy.

The letter also mentions a lack of access to high-quality housing, schools and transport.

Finally, other issues include crime, community cohesion and cuts to the council budget.

The letter concludes: "As we await [Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak's] Budget, we look forward to hearing from you on how your department will tackle not just geographical inequalities, but socio-economic inequalities, and the inequalities that face groups with protected characteristics.

"We also would like to hear from you on how you will ensure that public policy at a national level, considers the impacts of these inequalities as they are being developed and most certainly before they are implemented.

The Oldham Times has asked the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities for comment.