Former Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has insisted the future for the North East "can be very bright" despite the region becoming the country's child poverty capital in recent years.
The influential Tory, who led Boris Johnson's efforts to spread opportunity outside London as part of the levelling up agenda, told a party conference fringe event the North East had experienced "historic challenges" that were "more pronounced" than other parts of the country.
He praised the "incredibly impressive" Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen and the work of the University of Newcastle but said Liz Truss's government needed a "proper granular understanding" of the region for it to succeed.
