After his re-election the Tees Valley mayor said to Sunak: “I could not have delivered the things we’ve delivered in this region without you, Prime Minister.” Downing Street’s saving grace has changed his tune now…

Houchen this morning has told local radio that the Tories are “fighting each other like rats in a sack” and the blame for the party’s issues “ultimately lies with Rishi“:

“If the government actually got on and delivered some real things and showed themselves to be competent, and did the things that people wanted them to, then there is a way through to be able to get some of that respect back, some of that confidence back from the public and to help reduce what is a very large gap at the minute… Ultimately it always rests on the shoulders of the leader, all responsibility goes back to the top, it’s the same in my job as well. Ultimately, you’re the one responsible for it.“

Sunak is running out of corners to back into…

After Labour conceded, the votes are in fully. Ben Houchen has held on to Tees Valley. Houchen, got 53.6%, down from 72.8% in 2021. Labour’s Chris McEwan 41.3%, up from 27.2%. A big reduction, though some crucial good news for Sunak…

More than one government source says the plotting situation is: If Houchen wins, Sunak will be just about fine. Houchen, though, is looking a bit further ahead:

“My job as mayor is to do what I can for local people, and if that means I’ve got to work with the Prime Minister, to be frank it doesn’t matter to me who that is – I’m going to do all I can to make sure I get the best deal for the local area… even if there is a change of government later this year or if Rishi is still PM or it’s somebody else, I’ll work with anybody.”

Bit of a dampener for the current occupants of Downing Street…

Despite what NHS officials and tax-raising politicians might say, Brits still believe in the power of the pint. 41% of the public are more likely to view politicians as in touch with the local community if they frequent the pub. Labour’s candidate for Tees Valley mayor isn’t missing the hopportunity…

Chris McEwan is Labour’s candidate to challenge Tory Ben Houchen in Tees Valley. Ads have now appeared on Twitter touting McEwan, like the Scottish tinny McEwan’s Export, as “a name you can trust“. The voters will decide if he’s got the brewprint for success or if it’s all too bitter…

Levelling Up Secretary Simon Clarke and Tees Valley Metro Mayor Ben Houchen have published a joint statement in The Telegraph backing Boris. The move is particularly interesting given Clarke backed Truss and Houchen backed Rishi in the summer leadership contest. The letter in The Telegraph says:

“Boris is the person we need to lead our country and our party. 

He won the greatest election victory for years on a mandate to unite and level up the UK, and inspired millions of people who had never voted Conservative before to get behind a generous, optimistic vision of what Britain can be.   

People on Teesside love Boris because he recognised that while talent is evenly distributed across the country, opportunity is not. Boris gave us that opportunity. 

…

Teesside has had difficult times and is now levelling up because of Boris. We know that for us, like Boris, the comeback will be greater than the setback.”

Houchen is a real loss for Rishi…

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