Ex MP: Theresa May Understands The North East

20 July 2016, 05:00

A former Labour MP, who beat Theresa May to the North West Durham seat in 1992, says it's an "advantage" the new Prime Minister already knows the region.

Mrs May stood as the Conservative candidate in the constituency and even bought a house in Lanchester.

She won 12,747 votes in the 1992 election, which wasn't enough to take the seat from Labour's Hilary Armstrong.

Her career then took her to Maidenhead, where she was elected MP in 1997, before going on to be appointed to a number of roles in the shadow cabinet.

In 2010, following the formation of the Coalition-Government, Mrs May was appointed Home Secretary.

However Baroness Armstrong, who was North West Durham MP between 1987-2010, says it's the new Prime Minister's time in the north-east that will be of interest to people here:

Baroness Armstrong though said she isn't "confident" about some of the Prime Minister's appointments in her cabinet re-shuffle.

Earlier this week Mrs May appointed Andrew Percy as the new Northern Powerhouse Minister, taking over from Stockton South MP James Wharton.