AN MP who grew up in Burnley has been appointed as the new regional minister for the North West, it has been announced.

Phil Woolas, the Oldham East and Saddleworth MP, who grew up in Worsthorne, takes over from Beverley Hughes.

Stretford MP Mrs Hughes was criticised for only visiting East Lancashire on two occasions during her two-year tenure as North West minister.

Mr Woolas will undertake this role alongside his responsibilities as Minister of State for Borders and Immigration at the Home Office.

He said: “I am honoured to have been appointed to this position.

“I was brought up in Burnley, went to school and college in Nelson, (went to) university in Manchester, my family live in Cumbria and I represent Oldham.

“I have strong links to the region and a great affection for it and see it as my job to champion the region in Whitehall and Europe.

"The North West region is the engine room of the British economy and it is leading us out of recession.

“The opportunity to redress the inequalities with the south is something I have devoted my political life to."

Mrs Hughes announced earlier this month that she was standing down as an MP because of family commitments.

Recently Mr Woolas has endured a tough time as Immigration Minister after being caught in the crossfire over the Government’s treatment of retired Gurkha soldiers.

He was also caught up in the expenses scandal after the Daily Teleraph claimed he asked for household items and women’s shoes, allegations which he denied.

The keen Lancashire Cricket Club and Manchester United supporter is a former National Union of Students president and worked as a TV producer for BBC’s Newsnight and Channel 4.