James Cleverly has been urged to apologise by Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen over allegations he called Stockton a “s***hole”.
The Home Secretary was accused of making the remark, which he denies, during Prime Minister’s Question yesterday after Labour MP Alex Cunningham challenged Rishi Sunk over the level of child poverty in his north-east constituency.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Mr Houchen insisted Mr Cleverly should say sorry.
He said: “I’m not interested in excuses and I will always put our area above party politics, and it is clear to me that the Home Secretary should apologise for dragging Stockton’s name through the mud.
“Having made huge progress in recent years with major investment, thousands of jobs and Teesside forging a brighter future in the industries of the future including a new era of steelmaking, this type of language only furthers the outdated and inaccurate stereotypes we’ve battled for years.
“We’re a wonderful place and a passionate and proud community, and people across the world are looking at the exciting future that is emerging before us.
“But childish and unprofessional language used by Westminster politicians, who should know better, does nothing to help our plans for progress.”
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