The prime minister has pledged to help ‘left behind’ communities by cutting business rates if they win the General Election.

If elected, Boris Johnson said the Tories would build on the Towns Fund and cut business rates for up to half a million businesses.

Community groups would also be encouraged to buy their local pubs and post offices through a £150m fund, with £500m helping to re-connect towns and villages to the rail network.

Mr Johnson said: ‘For too long, too many towns and villages across Britain have been overlooked and left behind. When the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016, many communities felt their voices had been heard for the first time in decades and their lives would improve.

‘We will invest in these communities and help people put the heart back into the places they call home. We need to get Brexit done so that we can unleash the potential of all our towns, cities and villages.’