Lancashire is one of the POOREST places in Europe

In data produced by Eurostat, a European Union data agency, the county is listed as the seventh poorest area in northern Europe with suggestions indicating that industrial decline following the second world war as major factors.

Local politicians have also argued that poor transport infrastructure in the region is a key contributing factor.

Graham Jones, Labour MP for Hyndburn, said a lack of investment and decades of neglect from the government is the reason why Lancashire finds itself on the list.

He said: “It doesn’t surprise me to hear this. Lancashire has been seriously neglected when it comes to investment from the government.

“What we need is more funding on travel infrastructure across East Lancashire.

“Since the end of the second world war the county has gone from a once booming region to featuring as one of the poorest places in northern Europe.”

Despite this, Mr Jones does believe there is a way out. He said: “This can be changed and a big part of doing that is to put East Lancashire on the road and railway map.

“We need a hugely improved transport network, and that is what I am campaigning for.”

In total, nine UK regions feature on the list of 10 regions, with west Wales, Durham and South Yorkshire all sitting alongside Lancashire as Europe’s most deprived regions.

Shropshire, Staffordshire, Northern Ireland and Cornwall also feature.

The only non-UK entry to make an appearance is the Belgium region of Hainaut, at number nine.

In contrast, inner London is ranked as the richest area in northern Europe, meaning the gap between the richest and poorest region in the UK is the widest in the EU.

Despite agreeing that more efforts need to be made to boost the region, Conservative MP for Pendle Andrew Stephenson argued that some areas of East Lancashire are already seeing significant investment.

He said: “In Pendle, millions of pounds have been invested in regeneration and business, including £55 million investment at Rolls Royce and also a £32 million investment in transforming the Brierfield Mill site.

“We are seeing investment and this is why I continue to campaign for the re-opening of the Colne to Skipton rail line, which would open up new educational, business and leisure opportunities for East Lancashire.

“The region as a whole is seeing investments but large changes are not going to be seen overnight.”

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Labour MP for Chorley, added: “This is going to be a shock to us.

"It shows that there is a North-South divide but for Lancashire within the rest of northern Europe.

“The Northern Powerhouse has got its work cut out to transform Lancashire as we have been the poor relation in terms of investment and the fight continues to make sure that Lancashire is provided for.”

The Inequality Briefing, a non-political platform which analyses information on national inequality, said the reason the UK dominates the list is because it is much more ‘unequal’ than neighbouring nations.

A spokesman said: “In the UK, we think of ourselves as having similar standard of living as in other neighbouring countries like France, Germany and Holland.

“However, the poorest UK regions are by far the poorest in northern Europe.

“This is because the UK is much more unequal than other countries, where there is nowhere as rich as London, but nowhere as poor as our poorest regions.”