Has Boris Johnson helped the North East Level Up? The outgoing PM's flagship policy was a promise to tackle regional inequalities and bring living standards in regions like the North East up to scratch..
As he readies himself to leave office, critics have highlighted that key issues such as health inequality are "no further forward" and slammed his legacy, with "partygate" in particular having had "made a mockery" of people here. Others have even questioned how important the PM has been to recent regional successes in business such as the planned new BritishVolt factory in Blyth.
Mr Johnson announced on Wednesday that he would leave 10 Downing Street when the Conservative Party elect a new leader - and as he did so he spoke positively of his own achievements in the job. He told the country how he had succeeded in "getting Brexit done", been behind the UK's vaccine rollout, and led the west against Putin's aggression in Ukraine.
