Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen commits to 'working positively' with Keir Starmer in letter to new PM
Tees Valley Mayor Lord Ben Houchen has written to Sir Keir Starmer commiting to a positive working relationship.
Lord Houchen is the only non-Labour metro mayor in the country - leading to questions about what his relationship would be with the new Prime Minister.
In a letter, sent on Monday 8 July and posted on his Facebook page, Lord Houchen wrote to congratulate Sir Keir on his election win and pledged to work alongside him for the benefit of the Tees Valley.
He wrote: "I am writing to extend my sincere congratulations on your recent election as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
"We may come from different political parties, but your success in this role is in all of our interests and I wish you all the very best in the months and years ahead.
"As the Mayor of Tees Valley, I am committed to working positively with you and your Government to ensure the continued prosperity and development of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.
"Our region has undergone significant transformation and growth in recent years, and I believe that with a unified effort, we can continue to see success."
He then listed his priorities for the Tees Valley including the development of Teesworks, the Teesside Freeport and increasing employment.
Sir Keir has arranged a meeting with all of the metro mayors on Tuesday, something Lord Houchen has said he is "grateful" for.
However, he has also asked for a one-to-one meeting as soon as possible to discuss the Tees Valley in more detail.
He wrote: "I am appreciative of the invitation to meet with you this week alongside the other UK Mayors, however I would like to request the opportunity to meet with you privately at your earliest convenience to discuss how we can work together to secure final investment decisions from both bp and British Steel.
"Both of these amazing Teesside projects, which are bringing thousands of jobs to the area, will require urgent action from your Government, and I would therefore be grateful for the chance to discuss the next steps you intend to take."
Lord Houchen was first elected in 2017 and successfully won re-election twice, most notably becoming the sole Conservative metro mayor to hold onto his post in the 2024 local elections as Labour made significant gains nationwide.
He has also been a member of the House of Lords since July 2023 after being nominated by Boris Johnson as part of the former Prime Minister's resignation honours.
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