| It was in 2010 that then-London mayor Boris Johnson used his Telegraph column to lambast Labour PM Gordon Brown for "holing himself" inside Downing Street following his election defeat, comparing him to an "illegal settler in the Sinai desert" that had "lashed himself to a radiator". The journalist-turned-politician would doubtless enjoy the irony of finding himself in a very similar position 12 years on, defying calls to immediately stand down as Prime Minister - including those in his own party - and instead vowing to hang on until a successor is chosen in October. The talk in Westminster this morning was devoted to the runners-and-riders trying to succeed him in what is sure to be a crowded field. But could the next PM be a Northern MP, the first since Tony Blair held the office while representing Sedgefield in County Durham? The two frontrunners according to the bookmakers are Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, an MP for Wyre and Preston North in Lancashire, and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, representing Richmond in North Yorkshire, though neither are native to their patches either side of the Pennines.  Tory leadership contenders Rishi Sunak and Ben Wallace. Graphic by Carly Holds
Mr Sunak's stock took a tumble more recently following disclosures that his wife had non-dom status for tax purposes, and criticism that he was too slow to respond to the cost-of-living crisis. Mr Wallace has won admirers in Westminster for his straight-talking and straightforward approach, particularly among Tory MPs who pressed for the UK to increase its defence spending, although cuts to the size of the Army remain a cause for concern. But how is he rated locally? Claire Barre of Lancs Live spoke to residents in Garstang in his Lancashire patch and got less than full-throated support for their MP as a potential leader. David Nixon, 57, told Claire: "I'm not sure - he said a few things on Russia which are a bit hot headed. I don't think it's good that he's a front runner; a lot of people around here say he's a good MP but I think Priti Patel would be better - she doesn't take any messing, whereas Ben Wallace's stance on Russia puts me off him - I'd rather have [Home Secretary] Priti Patel." Elsewhere there are other hopefuls with Northern links hoping to impress their fellow MPs enough to be put before Tory members later this summer. Rochdale-born former Health Secretary Sajid Javid is the son of a bus driver who arrived in England from Pakistan in the 1960s. And Leeds-educated Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has made little secret of her leadership ambitions. On the BBC's Question Time last night in Barnsley, Bishop Auckland MP Dehenna Davison backed Ms Truss, saying she had "a proper vision" and would "carry this country forward". Lancashire MP Jake Berry, who leads the Northern Research Group of backbench Tories, is also considering a surprise bid to succeed Mr Johnson. Unimpressed with the whole process is Workington MP Mark Jenkinson, whose tweet this morning seemed to be taking aim at 'self-important' leadership candidates who promise 'the moon on a stick'. 
Did BoJo's regime live up to his bold Levelling Up promises?  Boris Johnson at the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester, in July 2019 (Image: PA)
Just four days after taking office in July 2019, Boris Johnson took to a podium at the Science and Industry Museum in the heart of Manchester to make a series of bold promises to Northern voters who he'd go on to win over at the ballot box a few months later. And three years on from that speech the Manchester Evening News' Charlotte Cox reflects on how many of the pledges on transport, devolution, education and crime have actually been delivered. She writes: "Big questions remain around whether Boris Johnson's government's ever really put its money where his mouth was to address the blatant inequalities that exist between cities like Manchester and cities like London." And she adds: "Boris Johnson's legacy in Greater Manchester may best be summed up by a quote often attributed to his distant cousin Winston Churchill: 'Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.' Even to the end, Boris Johnson never seemed to lose that." But 'red wall' Tory MP Nick Fletcher said he was 'gutted' Mr Johnson resigned. In a video posted on social media, the Don Valley MP credited the PM for securing his election victory back in 2019, becoming Doncaster's first Conservative MP since 1964. He said: "He got Brexit done, saw us through the pandemic, he made us have the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe and he brought us first out of lockdown. And most recently, he's led the western world in standing up to Russia against its invasion of Ukraine."
Ministers sign up for jobs in 'zombie government'  New Levelling Up Secretary Greg Clark at the Siemens Gamesa wind turbine factory in Hull in 2017
The Levelling Up Department - responsible for delivering the main promises of Boris Johnson's Government - was back up to its full complement of Ministers today after Marcus Jones and Paul Scully were brought in to replace those who quit earlier in the week. Teesside-born Greg Clark - who has served for a year as Communities and Local Government Secretary - replaced the sacked Michael Gove yesterday lunchtime. But how much will he be able to get done as the Tory leadership battle rages at Westminster? As ChronicleLive reported yesterday, North East leaders who were on the verge of agreeing a hugely important devolution deal granting new powers and funding to the region now fear the instability could put the deal at risk. In South Yorkshire newly appointed Mayor Oliver Coppard said he is currently in negotiations with the Government over "billions of pounds and thousands of jobs" in his region as well as a funding for bus services which are set to be cut by two thirds when it ends in October, as Steve Robson reports for the i newspaper. HullLive's political reporter Angus Young writes today: "Unless the political landscape at Westminster shifts dramatically once again, it looks like we will have a zombie government led by Boris Johnson running the country until at least the autumn." There has at least been some clarity on the Government's decision over whether to approve a controversial new coal mine for steel production in Cumbria, which will take place on or before August 17.
'Ads stopped my son breaking free from lethal gambling habit'  Ryan Myers, 27, with his dad John and brother Michael before he died.
More than 60 people who have been harmed by gambling are today walking from Manchester to Liverpool to demand reform within the game. The group includes families who have lost loved ones to gambling-related suicide and is walking in memory of Liverpool fan Ryan Myers, who took his own life in 2014 when he was 27 after becoming addicted to gambling. Walkers were due to call at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium and Manchester United's Old Trafford ground before finishing at Goodison Park and Anfield tomorrow. It is the latest event organised by The Big Step, a campaign to end all gambling advertising in football which now has the support of 27 clubs in the UK and Ireland. A Government White Paper is set to be published in the coming weeks as part of a review of gambling legislation. "Ryan was a bubbly, happy lad. Our world fell apart when he died," said Ryan's dad John. "The adverts played a massive role in his addiction – they wouldn't let him break free and didn't warn him about the dangers. Instead, they kept telling him gambling was fun and safe. "Unless the adverts are going to show what can happen to families – the funerals and the heartbreak – then they've got to go."
Smaller might be better when it comes to ideas to change the North  Tris Brown and Patrick Hurley on the hunt for 100 ideas for the North
Much of the conversation about how to tackle regional inequalities in the North centres on big ideas - devolution or levelling up - or big projects like HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail. But could those who want to change people's lives do better by searching for the smaller ideas which, if done well, could be replicated to great effect across the region? Passionate Northerners Patrick Hurley and Tris Brown had just this idea in mind when they came up with 100 Ideas for the North, aiming to compile ideas for small-scale projects "that would make the North a better place to live". Inspired by US politician Marco Rubio's '100 Innovative Ideas for Florida's Future' campaign from 2006, they want to turn the submissions into a book, creating a manifesto for how the North could flourish after decades of Westminster indifference. Tris Brown told The Northern Agenda podcast this week: "The idea is if we talk to communities across the North, about those small ideas that they feel passionate about, that could transform or change their area, can we pull all those ideas together, and then challenge other communities to adopt those ideas." The concept includes everything from children's book schemes in Preston to arts collectives in Chester, from homeless hostels in Doncaster to record labels in Redcar. If you've got an idea why not submit it here.
'I was told arts and culture weren't for the likes of me'  Prof Katy Shaw speaks at the TedxSoho event in central London
She's now a leading academic as well as a journalist, public intellectual, literary festival host and media presenter. But Professor Katy Shaw describes how while growing up in Newcastle she was "told time and again why culture and creativity was not for the likes of me and my family". The director of cultural partnerships of Northumbria University was speaking at the TedxSoho event in the creative heart of central London alongside leading figures from the worlds of media, science, fashion, food, medicine and the arts. You can watch the whole speech here. "When she was little my mum was a really talented dancer," she adds. "She wanted to study ballet but was told the ballet was not for her and she should get a proper job instead. "And my dad when he was a little boy was brilliant at making things. And at school he got the chance to excel at pottery, but he too was told that this was a mere hobby, and he should get a secure job in the shipyards instead." After - against the odds - going into academia, she is now the author of a report for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Northern Culture on post-covid cultural recovery and worked with Hollywood A-lister Michel Sheen on the A Writing Chance project. And she told the audience it's never too late for people from non-traditional backgrounds to discover the "transformative potential" of arts and culture. "Last year at the age of 65 my mum had her first ballet lesson and this year for my birthday I received the most beautiful handmade jug from my dad who took up pottery again at the age of 76. And on the jug was a note, and all it said was 'I'm sorry this took 40 years' - and so am I."
Prof Shaw is in Manchester this weekend exploring how writing in the North and using English can be part of 'levelling up'. English: Shared Futures is the largest conference for English and Creative Writing in the UK and takes place at Manchester Metropolitan University, with over 350 delegates. Full details can be found here. Highlights include sessions using Manchester's new Poetry Library, literary walks and writers' homes in Manchester. 
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Northern Stories  Sam Ryder performed for the UK in Eurovision 2022 (Image: Getty Images)
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Staging the Eurovision Song Contest would cost Liverpool around £2m, it is thought. Last month, Liverpool Council confirmed it would throw its hat into the ring to host the annual music event after an announcement was made that Eurovision could be held in Britain due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Cllr Harry Doyle, assistant mayor and cabinet member for culture and visitor economy, told a select committee that the bidding process represented a "really exciting time" and the council was "absolutely going in full steam ahead." -
Staff at NHS trusts across the North are being asked to wear surgical facemasks once again as Covid-19 cases continue to surge. The requirement has been reintroduced – with immediate effect – for patients, visitors and staff in all patient-facing, clinical areas of the Royal Preston and Chorley and South Ribble hospitals. And on Teesside from today all staff, patients and visitors to the University Hospital of North Tees, University Hospital of Hartlepool, and Peterlee Community Hospital will be required to wear a mask to enter a ward. -
Nadine Dorries says her rugby league gaffe has helped boost attention for the sport. The Culture Secretary was invited to sample rugby league first hand after confusing the 13-man game with the rival union code. She stunned a rugby league audience in St Helens by referring to Jonny Wilkinson's match-winning drop goal for England in the 2003 Rugby Union World Cup final in Sydney. Dorries joked "You are welcome" after telling MPs yesterday that officials from the sport had informed her the game has "never had so much publicity". -
Members of the Unite and RMT unions employed by rail maintenance firm Wabtec at the historic Flying Scotsman site in Doncaster will move to all out strike action over 'abhorrent' fire and rehire plans. Over 200 workers, who maintain and repair rail stock, including carriages, wheels and bogies, have already taken nine days of strike action during June and early July. They will move to all out strike on July 19, which will bring the site to a complete close. -
A proposal to fuel Selby District Council's fleet of vehicles with vegetable oil has been shelved because the war in Ukraine has sent prices skyrocketing. A trial involving waste collection, street cleaning and grounds maintenance vehicles over 12 weeks in winter saw nearly 70 tonnes of carbon saved, but permanently switching from fossil diesel would be "financially unsustainable", says a report. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, made from waste fats and vegetable oils, is renewable, fully biodegradable and can be used in any engine without modifications. - A "massive rise" in thefts from supermarkets may be linked to the rise in pressures from the cost-of-living crisis, according to the chair of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel. Cllr Barbara Murray said a manager of a national supermarket chain told her there was "something else" about a recent spike in thefts in local stores. She has arranged a meeting to see if there had been a rise in food theft since the cost of living crisis had started to bite.
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