Simon Clarke will serve as Minister for the North, Tory chairman says
There was some doubt over whether Liz Truss would follow through on her reported pledge to create the position.
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Your support makes all the difference.The new Levelling Up Secretary will also serve as Minister for the North, the Tory party chairman has said.
There was some doubt over whether Liz Truss would follow through on her reported pledge to create the position, with Labour and Cooperative MP Simon Lightwood calling for clarity earlier on Wednesday.
In a letter to the new PM, he said he hoped she had not ārenegedā on her promises.
The Northern Research Group of Tory MPs previously said Ms Truss, along with other leadership contenders, had signed up to its āNorthern Agendaā pledges ā which included creating the ministerial role.
Mr Lightwood wrote: āOn Tuesday 12 July, you signed up to the pledges of the Northern Research Group, agreeing that you would appoint a Minister for the North, with ādirect responsibility for local growth and levelling up, who has a seat at the Cabinet table and the levers of a department for growth at their fingertipsā.
āIt is incredibly disappointing to see that no such minister has been appointed to your Cabinet.
āI hope that this will be urgently rectified, and that you have not reneged on your pledges already.ā
Jake Berry, the new party chairman, later said Simon Clarke has assumed the post.
He told ITVās Peston: āThe Prime Ministerās been absolutely clear that she will have a fiscal event later this month, but, you know, weāve got a Levelling Up Secretary in Simon Clarke, who is also the Minister for the North.ā