North East leaders have raised fears that Boris Johnson's collapsing Government could destabilise devolution talks.
Negotiations for a region-wide deal are at an advanced stage, but the exit of Michael Gove along with all his junior ministers from the Department for Levelling Up could stall progress. Teesside-born Greg Clark was appointed as the new levelling up secretary on Thursday lunchtime.
North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll told ChronicleLive that whoever replaced Mr Gove and his team will need to provide a "solution to this instability", while the Tory leader in Northumberland has echoed the concerns.
