FURTHER to The Northern Echo’s story (16 Nov) "Candidate criticised for ‘reckless’ SSI remarks" should one be surprised that the Tory candidate for the new Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen, should defend the Government’s handling of the SSI steelmaking plant closures on Teesside?
My feedback from the Tees Valley Mayoral hustings in Middlesbrough was that the Tory candidate was the best of a mediocre quintet.
Should The Northern Echo’s comment column “Steel remark is misjudged” in the same edition go unchallenged?
Maybe not, as those that follow the local media will know that local politicians (for obvious reasons) have not fronted the good news stories of job creation via the Government’s £80m steel task force for redundant Teessiders steelworkers.
Of course, one wonders whether these are sustainable new jobs as several are self-employment.
In the edition I read the article “Jobs record as number in work ‘nears full capacity.”
Could the Conservative government and their mayoral candidate Ben Houchen have a point to make then?
George Robert Dunning, Former local steelworker, Ormesby
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