New levelling up minister awkwardly fails to answer key question

The new Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, awkwardly failed to answer a key question about the Conservative government.

Simon Clarke, the MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, was appointed to his new role in the cabinet on Monday (6 September). He appeared on BBC Breakfast this morning (8 September), but awkwardly failed to answer a question put to him by presenter Charlie Stayt.

The presenter was questioning him on the different ways to measure levelling up, a policy introduced under Boris Johnson focused increasing investment and opportunities in 'left behind' Northern cities.

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Charlie Stayt asks: "If you look at a couple of the markers for levelling up, which frankly a lot of people don't really understand the principle of, say you look at child poverty or in-work poverty. Which of those markers have the Tories, in 12 years, been successful in helping?"

Maybe 'Levelling Up Secretary' Simon Clarke didn't hear the question... pic.twitter.com/56ulRQV4u9

— Andy Dawson (@profanityswan)

Clarke then sits in silence for about five seconds before Stayt puts him out of his misery: "Maybe you didn't hear that question."

Some have speculated that Clarke's microphone wasn't working, meaning he couldn't hear anything from Stayt, but other suggest that he froze up. Author James Felton praised Clarke for "accurately summarising 12 years of Tory achievements."

In which the leveling up secretary accurately summarizes 12 years of Tory achievements pic.twitter.com/DT3JYOuRfX

— James Felton (@JimMFelton)

Another user remarked "Simon Clarke found severely