Rishi Sunak will bring 'renewed focus' to levelling up, say MPs

That's the view of two of the new Prime Minister's biggest supporters in the Black Country and Staffordshire, who today insisted that addressing regional inequalities was "central to his mission".

Questions have been raised over Mr Sunak's dedication to levelling up in the region, which has been a trailblazer for the Government's flagship policy since it was launched after the 2019 general election.

It comes after West Midlands Mayor Andy Street backed Liz Truss in the summer Tory leadership contest, saying Mr Sunak had failed to give him "firm commitments" over investment and key infrastructure projects.

South Staffordshire MP Sir Gavin Williamson today said the new PM would bring a "renewed focus" to levelling up and was "100 per cent committed" to the policy.

He told the star: "The Prime Minister recognises that government is going to have to take action to drive the type of economic growth and investment that we need in the Black Country and Staffordshire.

"He knows that levelling up is critical and wants to get back that core purpose. It is central to his mission, which I think is really important as it improves the lives of my constituents and the lives of people across the whole region.

"We may have just lost sight of that over the last few weeks, and he will bring a renewed focus."

Dudley South MP Mike Wood said he met with Mr Sunak before he backed him in the summer and concluded that he is "absolutely committed to levelling up".

He says he expects infrastructure investment in the West Midlands to "continue as planned", despite the country's current economic predicament, but that regional inequalities were likely to be addressed in a more focused way.

"His point is that levelling up doesn't just mean north and south," said Mr Wood. "You can have very prosperous areas next to more deprived areas.

"Rishi will be looking at where those infrastructure investments can make the biggest difference, and I'm confident that areas like Brierley Hill will certainly meet that test."

Mr Street opposed Mr Sunak in the Tory leadership contest over the summer, which Liz Truss won by nearly 21,000 votes.

At the time he told the Star that her plan for growth would "deliver for people in the West Midlands", after she had given him assurances over support for projects such as the Coventry gigafactory and transport schemes including Aldridge railway station.