English councils will be ranked according to their pothole fixing progress under government plans, with those who fail to publish updates losing out on millions in funding.

Sir Keir Starmer has said there needs to be “accountability” in the system of fixing potholes, and suggested damage caused by them is “irritating”. It comes as the Prime Minister told councils to prove they are tackling the issue or face losing the cash to fix them.

Councils will have to prove that they’re fixing potholes – or face losing cash – in a new Government scheme. From mid-April, local authorities in England will start to receive their share of the Government’s £1.6bn highway maintenance funding, including an extra £500m – enough to fill seven million potholes a year.