Predictably, politicians reacted to the Chancellor's statement along party lines with Conservatives backing him and Labour MPs weighing in with criticis m.

Carlisle Conservative John Stevenson said: "It was a solid performance by the new Chancellor and it was in line with his style - he will be a more traditional Chancellor.

"He didn't have a lot of room for manoeuvre as the nation's finances are still parlous.

"But he did exactly the right thing, which is to invest in infrastructure - rail, road and broadband. That is the way we will drive economic activity."

Theresa May's new government has made much of being on the side of working people and helping those who "just about manage".

Mr Stevenson was adamant that the Chancellor had delivered on that promise.

He added: "There's the rise in the [Income Tax] personal allowance and the freeze in fuel duty.

"More importantly he's investing so that we can raise productivity and create jobs. That's the way to raise living standards."

Penrith and the Border Conservative Rory Stewart praised the £1bn investment in 'gold-standard broadband' and 5G mobile coverage.

He said: £I have been fighting for many years now to improve our county’s broadband and mobile telecoms infrastructure and I am thrilled that government has increased the resources available."

But Workington Labour MP Sue Hayman desribed the Chancellor's statement as a "missed opportunity".

She said: “I’m disappointed. It’s time that the Government acted for West Cumbria.

“While it has been announced that the A66 will be dualled at last, it seems that this only applies to the stretch of road between Penrith and Scotch Corner. West Cumbria has been forgotten about once again.

“We desperately need improvements to the A595 in order to deliver the unprecedented incoming investment at Moorside.

"I will be pursuing a meeting with the Transport Minister in order to keep lobbying the government on the need for serious investment in West Cumbria’s transport infrastructure.”

She added: “As shadow minister for flooding and coastal communities, I welcome the £150m announced for transport flood resilience, including £50m for railways.

“I will press the government to ensure money is spent making the Cumbrian Coast railway more resilient to winter storms, thereby keeping West Cumbria moving.”

For the Liberal Democrats, Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron was scathing.

He said: “I have a sickening feeling of déjà vu. The Conservative Government is unashamedly neglecting our area all over again.

“The Chancellor’s announcement of £556m to Local Enterprise Partnerships in the north of England sounds like a sizeable sum, but this figure must be spread out across 10 LEPs – some of which are large cities – so we know that Cumbria will see the vast majority of the funding bids to boost growth in our county turned down.

"Part of the funding the government has rejected is money that was meant to go to make Cumbria’s roads and bridges flood-resistant.

"This rejection of Cumbria's businesses, farmers, tourism industry and education sector is a slap in the face as we fight back from last year's floods.

"These projects would have created and protected jobs, boosted the local economy, and given hope to communities struggling with sluggish broadband."