Seats held by the Coalition and independent MPs will bear the brunt of Labor’s $7 billion in cuts to road and rail projects, angering local MPs and sparking claims of political favouritism by the government.

Projects in at least 21 Liberal and National-held seats are among the 50 axed following a review by Infrastructure Minister Catherine King, moves described by Liberal National Party MP Michelle Landry as akin to “cutting the guts” out of regional Australia.