PRIME MINISTER Boris Johnson has been communicating with the newly-formed Northern Research Group (NRG), a bunch of Northern Tory MPs who demand “more flat caps and less top hats” in Boris Johnson’s inner circle.

The group boasts a number of Tees Tory MPs among its ranks, including Simon Clark of Middlesbrough South and Peter Gibson of Darlington.

Their mission is to make sure the Government does not abandon the so-called ‘red wall’ seats won from Labour at the last election. They want to make sure that levelling up the country is Boris’ number one priority.

But that mission has turned mission impossible as far levelling up the North goes.

Simon Clark and Peter Gibson, alongside three other Tees Tories, made a determined effort

to level down the North when they voted to axe the children’s free holiday meals.

In the coming months, there will be many votes on welfare regarding disability, sanctions and the freezing of various benefits.

It will be interesting to keep an eye on just how the Tees Valley Tories vote in their supposed mission to level up the area.

Stephen Dixon, Redcar.