The new Levelling Up secretary Greater Manchester will be watching with interest and his voting record

The new Prime Minister has appointed the politician tasked with 'levelling up' Greater Manchester with other areas of the UK and fulfilling a key Conservative election pledge. And there's one thing for sure - the eyes of a largely sceptical city region will be watching him with intent. His every word and action will be pored over and recorded.

Even more so with the news that PM Liz Truss has apparently dropped a key pledge to the region - to appoint a so called 'Minister for the North - less than 24 hours after taking up office in Downing Street.

It follows vows by both Ms Truss and Rishi Sunak to roll out more devolution and commit to a levelling-up formula for extra funding for areas here that need it.

Simon Clarke MP, who was born and brought up in the Labour heartland of Stockton-on-Tees, outside Middleborough in the north east, succeeds Michael Gove and Greg Clark as the Tory Government's Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

His background lies largely in the Treasury, working under Rishi Sunak as Chief Secretary to the Treasury for almost a year from 2021. Before that, he was Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.

Mr Clarke also has experience in housing, having previously been appointed Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in 2020, before resigning citing personal reasons and 'balancing my own life against the demands of office'.

Billed by many as a politician who champions devolution, the 37-year-old's constituency of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland is itself no stranger to industrial loss and political commentators believe his background will benefit the brief. As a local government minister, he held a responsibility for devolution and