Ben Houchen

Mayor of the Tees Valley

[Simon Clarke @SirSimonClarke]

On the spiteful nature of Labour’s education policy, let’s revisit the single decision Bridget Philipson made that has been most revealing, as well as frustrating.

Eton and Star Academies wanted to open a great new free school in Middlesbrough to help more talented young people access the best universities - a noble endeavour backed by funding from Eton as well as a commitment to share their passion and expertise.

The last Conservative government said yes in 2023 under @GillianKeegan, in a victory for local children and parents and for a great campaign led by independent Mayor Andy Preston @centre_right_ and Conservative Councillor @MiekaSmiles.

But astonishingly, Labour locally campaigned against it. Andy McDonald MP raged against Eton as a "hallmark of stifling elitism”.

What did Bridget Philipson do when she became Education Secretary? She killed the project. Prejudice trumped social mobility.

https://t.co/LeOO3olBgH

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

This already exists. @RishiSunak created it in Darlington when Chancellor and expanded it when PM.The Govt are currently in the middle of building a dedicated building for tens of millions of pounds for this purpose and to accommodate the 1000 civil servants already working there

[George Parker @GeorgeWParker]

New: Andy Burnham looking to create “Number 10 in the North” as part of big devolution drive, shifting some operations to Manchester
https://t.co/v5egxRQ1Os

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

“I know I promised you billions in compensation without thinking about it, but I can’t do that now - so here’s a bus pass a couple of years earlier than you would otherwise get it!” 🚌

[Lucy Fisher @LOS_Fisher]

NEW: Burnham *rules out* awarding financial compensation to Waspi women demanding billions of pounds, following an angry backlash within Labour

Greater Manchester mayor has instead floated the idea of offering early access to cheaper travel schemes as recompense

https://t.co/J2IMe6jLW2

[GB News @GBNEWS]

Rachel Reeves under pressure as UK borrowing £60BILLION higher than first thought after OBR blunder

https://t.co/1NdKlkguN3

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

I’ve always said being mayor of Manchester or London is a straight forward job. Brands, investors and people across the world are drawn to major UK cities (as long as you don’t do CAZs or rent controls etc). It’s a much harder job being the mayor of towns like Wigan, Bolton, Bury

[Alex Wickham @alexwickham]

This is a brilliant piece of work by @tomelleryrees

Data shows Andy Burnham’s ‘Manchesterism’ boom has been largely confined to wealthy areas like the city centre

Towns on the outskirts like Wigan have seen GDP growth per head below the national average

https://t.co/0AF7R7ExAa

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

And not only is Andy Burnham spending £250m a year (as a net cost to the taxpayer) for buses and usage is down 12%, but now the taxpayer takes 100% of the cost and risk and private companies get paid fortunes to run his ‘nationalised’ bus service which is worst performing in NW

[Oliver Gill @ojngill]

Is it criticism? Or, as @mragilligan points out in his article, simply highlighting that franchising is no panacea? Worth saying that the five-year stat is a bit meaningless as we are all travelling more on public transport since the pandemic.

A far better stat is comparing Manchester bus use stretching to before the pandemic, with the national average.

I’ve heard mixed reports about franchising in #Manchester, so the above point is being made without any evidence about whether it’s resulted in better services.

Given it is one of @AndyBurnhamGM’s flagship policies, it seems only fair that it is held up to scrutiny - whether by politicians like @BenHouchen or anyone else.

[Middlesbrough FC @Boro]

𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗗 𝗢𝗨𝗧 🚨

48-hour ticket turnaround? No problem for our fans. Thanks for your amazing support, we'll see you there 👏

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

Leaked footage shows ATC paying close attention to the flight carrying the Boro team to Wembley👀✈️

Don’t worry they weren’t after the seating formation, they were just keeping a close eye on the bushes! 🌳

Can’t be too careful these days!

Come on the Boro!

We
Shall
Be

🔴⚪️

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

Thank you for confirming that bus usage is down 12% under Andy Burnham (despite spending £250m a year) and is the worst performing in the whole of the North West. Comparing other areas just demonstrates that other Labour Mayors are also doing a bad job on bus franchising

[JP Spencer @JP_Spencer_]

Bus usage is clearly up since the Bee Network was introduced by @AndyBurnhamGM - and has recovered better than many other places that are yet to introduce it. Here is a chart I created last year showing comparable areas of North.

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

💪 🔴⚪️

[M @justcalledtosay]

Never been a big one for crowing about attendances but @Boro appear to have sold out their play off final allocation and an extra 1,800 tickets (37.5k ish) in 2.5 days. That is some going given the notice we’ve had.

Hull still have a few thousand to shift.

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

He spends £250m a year for bus use to be down 12%

[Harry Phibbs @harryph]

Bus use in Greater Manchester is DOWN by 12 per cent since Andy Burnham became Mayor. (Via @spectator.) He’s not for us. He’s for they/them.

[Sunday Sport @thesundaysport]

'If I cut tax on visting Alton Towers, more people will go. If I increase the tax on employing people...no, hold on...'

[EFL Communications @EFL_Comms]

A League Arbitration Panel has today dismissed Southampton Football Club’s appeal against the Independent Disciplinary Commission’s decision in respect of breaches of EFL Regulations.

As a result, the original sanction remains in force. Southampton’s expulsion from the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs stands, alongside the four-point deduction to be applied to the Club’s 2026/27 Championship record and the reprimand in respect of all charges. In accordance with EFL Regulations, the decision of the League Arbitration Panel is final.

Following the conclusion of the proceedings, the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Final between Hull City and Middlesbrough is confirmed as taking place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 23 May, kicking off at 3.30pm.

#EFL

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

💪 UTB

[David Ornstein @David_Ornstein]

🚨 BREAKING: Southampton lose appeal in attempt to overturn expulsion from Championship play-off final for spying on opponents. #SaintsFC spot goes to Middlesbrough; #MFC to face Hull City at Wembley on Saturday. By @Dan_Sheldon_ @mjshrimper @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/iEkGDXbK7U

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

I know a Southampton fan who has a bit more time on his hands these days... 🤔

Where were you today @rishisunak?

But in all seriousness this is bang out of order and I’m glad the @efl are looking into this.

#WeShallBe

[Dominic Shaw @DomShawEcho]

🔎 As reported by @CraigHope_DM, #Boro caught what is believed to be Southampton staff member allegedly spying on training at Rockliffe today

EFL aware. Rule was introduced banning clubs from watching opponents train after #LUFC 'spygate'

Full story 👇
https://t.co/kmmnMHn5aL

[The Northern Echo @TheNorthernEcho]

Houchen wins cabinet support for single sex space compliance rule https://t.co/n4e5ap2FqD

[David Rhodes @davidgrayrhodes]

Here’s what’s going wrong….

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

As Joe says, Just the tip of the iceberg!

[Joe Cook @JoeCookJ]

.@BenHouchen is right in that this is definitely an understatement of the cost.

I asked 333 local planning authorities for data across 15 years - 10,688 data points in total. After months of to and fro we only have 4,757 points back (44.5%) - although this includes at least some data from two thirds of councils.

More transparency is needed - even before you get to the cost of delays and the councils own legal costs: which are well into the tens of millions (at least £41.7 million across 15 years - but with only 25% data returned).

[Ben Houchen @BenHouchen]

A great piece by @SamCoatesSky but I think that this massively understates the problem by a large margin around local councils and planning committees who regularly cost the taxpayer tens of millions of pounds a year and squander jobs, growth and the chance of a home for families

[Sam Coates Sky @SamCoatesSky]

EXC Does your council wrongly block projects, and have to pay millions in council tax when the decisions are overturned?

We reveal what's going wrong.

Investigation by @JoeCookJ and me, interrogating everyone planning council in England

[Creative Deduction @CreativeDeduct]

Labour market policy...