‘We’re going to focus on immediate issues’
Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in Sunderland and Hartlepool yesterday, promoting the Tory candidates ahead of the local elections.
With council elections due to take place on Thursday, he was looking to rebuild trust with the electorate following the Partygate fall-out and his fine for attending a gathering which breached Covid rules.
Mr Johnson was visiting Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station and then later an unnamedlocationinSunderland wherehewaskeentostressthe Government’s record in bringing investment to the region’s economy.
He said: “The opposition can focus on whatever they want but we are going to focus on the key issues to the people of the North East and what we are already delivering.
"In the last year you have seenGEcomeinwiththeirturbines investment on Teesside, the development of the Teesside Free Port site, the British Volt plant at Blyth, Saudi Arabiahasinvested£1billioninthe hydrogensector,andyou’vegot the Nissan development of the Envision plant in Sunderland.
"You can see investment taking place in the North East, hand over fist, and it’s really fantastic to see it. We need to focus on the immediate issues which are things like people’s energy bills. We need to get people over this immediate hump – which I appreciate is really tough – but the way to deal with that is to help people withtheirbills,suchasthe£150 rebate. In terms of Thursday’s elections, I really think people should focus in what we’re doing to transform people’s opportunities here in the North East.”
MrJohnsonsaidHartlepool was “very likely” to be selected as one of the sites for the construction of eight new nuclear reactors.