Rural areas are losing out as the government tries to win over urban voters, MPs claim

Theresa May is facing a row with her backbenchers over the “ticking time bomb” of funding for education, social care and councils in rural areas.

Conservative MPs in shire seats are demanding that the government gives the countryside more financial support now that the party has a Commons majority.

Urban areas were prioritised financially for 13 years under New Labour and the trend was not reversed under the Tory-Lib Dem coalition, the so-called rural caucus of 40 Conservative MPs argues. Last month a new schools funding formula was unveiled, which would divert money away from cities such as London and Manchester.

Many Tory MPs believe the shake-up does not go far enough to redress imbalances between rural and urban areas, however, and in some cases