but now, questions for ben houchen. 0ff renewable energy. but now, questions for ben houchen.investigation, labour is demanding an inquiry, which the mayor is supporting full stop it asking why a 90% stake in the company operating the site, funded to the tune of millions by taxpayers, was transferred to two local developers, chris musgrave and martin corney, without any public tender, by the south tees developments corporation, chaired by the mayor. that company, teesworks limited, says the decision to place the site in a much wider teesside freeport with time—limited tax breaks meant that contaminated land had to be cleared up more quickly. in exchange for taking on those costs, the shareholding of the two developers increased from 50% to 90%. developer chris musgrave told newsnight he welcomes the mayor's support for a full investigation. he said, we are delivering something special that will deliver jobs. we have absolutely nothing to hide. this is the heart of this political row. 140 years of steel production ended here, and ben houchen, the tory poster boy of the redwall,

big ben houchen. end, there's nothing to hide. - big-ben houchen. indeed. big fan of ben houchen.a week as holly willoughby and— viewers in just a week as holly willoughby and phillip schofield fail willoughby and phillip schofield rat to— willoughby and phillip schofield fail to address— willoughby and phillip schofield fail to address their fallout for fail to address their fallout tor a— fail to address their fallout for a second— fail to address their fallout for a second day on air, the ptararaotiag— for a second day on air, the plummeting ratings come as tigaros— plummeting ratings come as senior figures at— plummeting ratings come as senior figures at the channel satiet— senior figures at the channel saitot a— senior figures at the channel called a crisis— senior figures at the channel called a crisis meeting toiiowiaa— called a crisis meeting following a— called a crisis meeting following a wave of negative toottast— following a wave of negative feedback online— following a wave of negative feedback online . nine about feedback online. nine about yesterday-s— feedback onli

big ben houchen. end, there's nothing to hide. - big-ben houchen. indeed. big fan of ben houchen.ust a week as holly willoughby and— viewers in just a week as holly willoughby and phillip schofield fail willoughby and phillip schofield rat to— willoughby and phillip schofield fail to address— willoughby and phillip schofield fail to address their fallout for fail to address their fallout tor a— fail to address their fallout for a second— fail to address their fallout for a second day on air, the ptararaotiag— for a second day on air, the plummeting ratings come as tigaros— plummeting ratings come as senior figures at— plummeting ratings come as senior figures at the channel satiet— senior figures at the channel saitot a— senior figures at the channel called a crisis— senior figures at the channel called a crisis meeting toiiowiaa— called a crisis meeting following a— called a crisis meeting following a wave of negative toottast— following a wave of negative feedback online— following a wave of negative feedback online . nine about feedback online. nine about yesterday-s— feedback

we have seen a shameful— mayor ben houchen.ort and it continues to attract billions of pounds of private sector investment and creating jobs and supporting the local economy. and i think the whole house will see through the inexcusable attempts by the labour party to talk down those successes on teesside where local leaders are working tirelessly to improve that region for the first time in a generation.— improve that region for the first time in a generation. thank you, mr seaker. time in a generation. thank you, mr speaker- in — time in a generation. thank you, mr speaker. in 2011, _ time in a generation. thank you, mr speaker. in 2011, the _ time in a generation. thank you, mr speaker. in 2011, the first _ time in a generation. thank you, mr speaker. in 2011, the first year- speaker. in 2011, the first year that the tories came into government, 61,000 people receive emergency food parcels from food banks. in 2022—23, that figure had gone up to nearly 3 million. 1 million of them children. it has gone up every year that the c

sadly we our mayor, ben houchen. sadly we heve— our mayor, ben houchen. in to government, 61 six arnie 1000 thousand people received emergency food parcels from food banks in 20 2223. that figure had gone up : i“ i“ $70 “�*> that figure had gone up to heerhv— that figure had gone up to heerhv e— that figure had gone up to nearly 3 million, 1 million of them — nearly 3 million, 1 million of them children— nearly 3 million, 1 million of them children .— nearly 3 million, 1 million of them children . it's gone up them children. it's gone up everv— them children. it's gone up everv veer— them children. it's gone up every year that— them children. it's gone up every year that the conservatives have been in eevver— conservatives have been in eevver her— conservatives have been in eevver her ehe— conservatives have been in power, bar one. so will he tell he— power, bar one. so will he tell the heeeee— power, bar one. so will he tell the house? is— power, bar one. so will he tell the house? is that— power, bar one. so will he tell the house? is that a record that

who has spoken less about it, it is not being felt, not being realised, so whatever people like ben houchen smaller in the north—east, the north— was smaller in the north—east, the north of— was smaller in the north—east, the north of england, then down into the midlands. _ north of england, then down into the midlands, and in elections like walsall— midlands, and in elections like walsall for example where you saw no swing _ walsall for example where you saw no swing effectively to labour at all. but you _ swing effectively to labour at all. but you held walsall. but what about my question about levelling up? stoke—on—trent has gone. that was a part of the world in staffordshire, east staffordshire as well, parts of the world that we are relying and to some extent folding on the issue of levelling up. it hasn't happened and thatis levelling up. it hasn't happened and that is why they have withdrawn support. for that is why they have withdrawn su ort. ., . ., that is why they have withdrawn su--ort. ., . ., ., ., , support. for a lot of them the money we would have _ support. for a lot of t