Rishi Sunak: North East politicians react to incoming PM

Rishi Sunak won the backing of Conservative MPs

Conservatives in the North East have welcomed the incoming appointment of Rishi Sunak as the next Prime Minster.

Mr Sunak won the backing of Tory MPs to succeed Liz Truss after Boris Johnson abandoned his comeback bid and Penny Mordaunt also dropped out.

As well as congratulations, local Tories have issued a plea for unity.

However, their Labour counterparts have accused them of treating the nation's highest offices as "tombola prizes" and have called for a general election.

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Guy Opperman, Conservative MP for Hexham and a backer of Mr Sunak, called him a "serious person for serious times".

Fellow supporter Paul Howell, the Tory MP for Sedgefield, said the new PM "has what it takes to provide the strong leadership we need and steer the country through some very challenging times".

Bishop Auckland Tory MP Dehenna Davison, who had backed Liz Truss for Downing Street this summer, congratulated Mr Sunak too, but warned he had a "mammoth task ahead". 

She said: "The country faces huge challenges and people are counting on us to deliver, so we need to get behind Rishi now."

Conservative Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen, who had backed Boris Johnson, said that Mr Sunak had "helped deliver projects ... that will create long-term opportunities which will transform our area".

"I hope this is the end of the ridiculous saga that has occurred over recent times, and that Rishi, leading the government, can now concentrate on getting us through the difficult times ahead."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Andrew Burnett, chairman of the Newcastle Conservatives, had said: "We have moved on now from what has been quite a rough few weeks for the party.

"Now it is time to get back together, unite, and take the country forward." 

But with the Conservatives set to move on to their third Prime Minister of the year and the third since the last general election was held in 2019, Labour has called for voters to be given their say now on who should be allowed to form a government.

Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central, accused Mr Sunak of being "scared of scrutiny and knows he has no mandate to speak for anyone".

She said: "The Tories are treating the highest offices in the land like tombola prizes, even as they use them to crash the economy and make working people, particularly in the North East, pay for the privilege."

'Growing poverty'

Her Newcastle North counterpart Catherine McKinnell added: "Earlier this year this new Prime Minister boasted about diverting funds out of areas like Newcastle to leafy shires.

"People deserve their say in a general election to decide the direction they want to see for our country, and to deliver a stable government after years of chaos."

Councillor Nick Cott, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Newcastle, said the new occupant of 10 Downing Street "has no mandate from the British people" and joined the calls for an election. 

He added: "The cost of living crisis and growing poverty are of real concern.

"We need to see this government seriously committed to levelling up and assisting more in tackling the issues."