Prime Minister Liz Truss has seemingly dropped a key pledge to our region less than 24 hours after moving into Downing Street.
In July, she told northern Tories that she would appoint a 'Minister for the North' with Cabinet level responsibility, but a glance at the final list of appointments shows there is no such minister.
At a backbench hustings with the Northern Research Group of Tories on July 19, Ms Truss along with rival Rishi Sunak agreed to appoint a new minister for the North if they won the leadership race, along with rolling out more devolution and introducing a levelling-up "formula" to ensure "left behind" areas received the Government funding they needed.
READ MORE: Everything Liz Truss has said about energy bills help and cost of living
But in her maiden speech on the steps of Downing Street yesterday, Ms Truss failed to even mention the phrase levelling up.
And one of her senior backers, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, last night quipped: "I've never been in favour of the phrase, I'm not sure what it told anybody".
In recent days, there has also been hostile briefings over the way in which former Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove had been trying to spend money in his department, suggesting a big squeeze on spending for levelling up is on the way.
While there is clearly apathy towards the concept at senior levels in her administration, Ms Truss has - for now at least - kept the Levelling Up Department - with Teesside MP Simon Clarke taking over the brief.
Mr Clarke said last night: "It’s a huge honour to be appointed Levelling Up Secretary. Delivering on Levelling Up for communities in all parts of our country, unlocking the homes we need and supporting the economic growth that is so central to Liz Truss' Government. Will give it my all."
Northern Research Group chairman Jake Berry, who made the case for a Minister for the North, returns to Cabinet but as chairman of the Tory party.
Ms Truss herself is understood to believe more in boosting the North and regions through tax cuts and enterprise zones, rather than through redistributive funds or schemes - as Boris Johnson advocated.
READ NEXT:
